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F[APPY : I^OMES : FOR: F[APPY : People. 



PROFUSELY II.LUSI'IIAXED, 



By ALMON C. VARNEY, 

SUPERVISING ARCHITECT. 

JOHN H. YOUNG, Author of "Our Deportment" ; Mrs. J. M. S. HOLDEN, 
" Interior Decoration; " CHAS. E. BENTLEY, " Decorative Art Needle- 
Work"; WILLIAM BOYDELL, " House Painting " ; JOHN 
SWIFT, M. S., "Landscape Gardening"; /.' - 

ROSE A. GREGORY, "Knitting and , /\^'^OOrYPdGi^^ 
Crocheting." [o^^^ ^ '^^85 

^<.^'' WASHING^ 

THE J. 0. CHILTON PUBLISHING CO., 

DETROIT, MICH.— WINDSOR, ONT. 



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Copyright, isss. 
©HE el. (g. (©HILTON I^UBLISHING ^0., 

DETROIT, M:ICH. 



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PRINTED BY 

RAYNOR 4 TAYLOR 

DETROIT MICH 



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TO THE 



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^ People oe America. 



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|IT submitting this work to the public, the Publishers 
think it not amiss to state that the contents have been 
carefully criticised and reviewed by competent and 
conscientious critics. 

To the authors of the various departments much 
credit is due for the successful manner in which they 
' have treated the topics assigned them. 
For other favors and information not otherwise available 
special thanks are due — 

To Mr. Chas. B. Bentley, Designer and Manufacturer of 
Pecorative Art Needle- Work, New York; Messrs. Phillips & 
Hunt, Publishers of the " People's Cyclopedia," New York; 
The American Encaustic Tiling Co., New York; Messrs. 
Waeren, Fuller & Co., Manufacturers of Artistic Wall- 
Papers, New York; E. T. Barnum, Manufacturer of Crest- 
ings, etc., Detroit; Messrs. Mills & Barker, Artistic Furni- 
ture, Detroit; A. H. Shipman, Fret-Saw Manufacturer, 
Eochester, New York. 

The Publishers take no small degree of pride in present- 
ing a work which furnishes so many valuable suggestions on 
the subject of Our Homes and Their Adornments, and they 
can but wish that it will greatly assist in making many 
HAPPY HOMES FOE HAPPY PEOPLE, 
[iv] 









[HAT grand old Saxon word, HOME, has for ages 
held a peerless place wherever the English lan- 
guage is spoken. And thus do we find it, under 
every zone, embalmed in song, cherished in the 
memory, and enshrined in the heart! 

Too much, therefore, can scarcely he said on 
such a theme, nor too devoted a service rendered to such a 
cause. And knowing as we do how largely, in this country, 
Home Life influences both the individual and the State, we 
come to present the offering of Our Tribute in the imperish- 
able form of A BOOK, for the acceptance and appreciation of 
a Home-loving people! 

The object of this, our labor, is to link — as in a marriage 
tie — this venerable and comprehensive word ''home" with 
that other word of classic mold, but of modern application, — 
"ADORNMENT." And with the whole-hearted enthusiasm of 
^^match-makers" we sincerely hope and believe that they 
will be found to be not " unequally yoked." 

[V] 



vi PREFACE. 

"We are of the opinion that no attempt at " an aUicmce" of 
this nature has ever be/ore been so wisely planned and so 
siiceessfally consummated. It only remains, therefore, for 
us to bid a universal welcome to the Bridal/ 

The homes of the past have been as redolent of virtue 
and affection as can be claimed for those of our own day; 
but the age has advanced in all those accessories which give 
to modern life its charm, and for a '^Jlome" now to be 
without "ts " Adornments," would be a return to a primitive 
condition that would ill accord with the scale and quality 
of social existence everywhere around us. 

The volume here presented comprehends and supplies, 
in its completeness, this felt need eminently more than any 
hitherto offered to the public. The departments it covers 
embrace the whole domain of " Home and its Adornments," 
from the most enlightened, cultivated, and reliable sources 
possible. 

Under the firm belief that " a thing of beauty is a joy 
forever," we have reason to expect that our Home Life will 
become radiated with a brighter glow, from the Alliance of 
Adornment with Domesticity; while the influence of such 
elements, acting as a Kindergarten, will daily and hourly 
impress on both young and old its '^ Object- Lessons" of in- 
struction with ever softening and refining influences. 

Economy, which holds so prominent a place in our mod- 
em household administration, finds a most signal recognition 
in the work here presented. Eecipes of great practical value, 
are lavishly scattered among its pages; while the Useful, as 
-well as the Ornamental, has in each Department received the 
most particular attention. 




^'-^t^^^f'^5^^ 



I. 

POLITENESS. 

Value of Refined Manners. — Laws of Etiquette. — Advantages of 

Early Training in Politeness. - - - - 11 

Acquaintances and Introductions. — How to Make Introductions. — 

General Suggestions and Rules. - - - - 15 

Calling and Conversation. — The Objects in Making Calls. — Time for 
Calling. — Duties of Those Called Upon. — Calling Cards. - 

How to Converse. — Theme for Convei-sation. — Good Listeners. — 

Useful Hints. - -..--. 19 

Correspondence. — Letter- Writing. — Full Instructions for Letter- 
Writing. —Specimen of a Model Letter. - - - 26 

The Art of Giving Dinners, — Forms of Invitation. — Manners at 

the Table.— fable-Talk. 32 

Etiquette of the Home. — How to Train Children into Good Man- 
ners. — Etiquette of Public Places. — The Etiquette of Courtship 
and Marriage. — The Engagement. — The Invitations — The 
Ceremony. — The Bridal Tour. - - - - 45 

II. 

PLANNING AND ERECTING HOMES. 



Ideal Homes. — Rent or Purchase,-Which ? — Paying for Homes 

Gradually. — How to Plan Homes. - - - - 61 

Ornamentations of Homes. — The Secret of Beautiful Buildings. — 

Small Expense with Splendid Results. - - - 68. 

Valuable Rules for Building and Measuring. — How to Estimate 

Amount and Cost of Materials. - - - - 71 

House Painting. — How to do tlie Work. — To Select Colors that 
Stand Out Well and Harmonize. — Practical Suggestions about 
Paints, Varnish, etc. ------ 76 



Till CONTENTS, 

How to Plan a House. — Making Out the Specifications. — Secret of 

Cheap Building. ------ 86 

Heating and Ventilation. — Drainage and Exposure of Houses. — How 
to have Pure Air. — Danger from Defective Ventilation and 
Impure Water. - - . . . - 91 

Designs, Plans, Specifications, Elevation and Cost of Buildings. — 

How to Build Summer Cottages and Rustic Houses. 102 to 162 

Landscape Gardening. — Making Lawns, Drives and Walks. — Tree 

Planting. 173 

III. 

WOMAN'S HANDIWORK. 

Macram^ Lace. — How to Make All Kinds of Stitches and Designs. 188 

Silk Knitting. — Designs, Illustrations and Directions for the Work. 199 
Crocheted Patterns. — Full Directions for Learning the Terms and 

Working Patterns. ------ 211 

lY. 

INTERIOR DECORATION. 

Increase in Popularity of Home Decoration. — How to Beautify 

Walls and Ceilings. — Harmony of Colors. - - - 220 

Outline Work. — Full Directions on How to do the Work. — Popular 

Materials Used.— The Star of Beauty.— The Wood-Nymph. 222 

How to Hang Wall-Papers. — How to Cut and Match the Paper, — 

Paste for Wall-Paper. - - - - -_ 226 

Eepouss^ or Brass Hammering Work. — Its Popularity. — Description 
of Tools Used. — Full Directions on How the Work is Done. — 
Designs. ....... 230 

Embroidery Stitches. — Directions for Making all the later Varieties. — 

New and Eecent Designs. ----- 233 

Drawn Work. — How to Use Colored Silks in the Work. — Explicit 

Directions for the Work. . - . - - 242 

Eibbon Work. — The Latest in Decoration. — Description of Designs. — 

Eibbosene. - - - . . . - 245 

Crazy Work. — Description of the Work. — Full Directions and Designs. 247 

Designs for Various Articles : Chairs, Mirrors, Scarfs, Baskets. - 249 

Elegant Hangings for Halls and Windows. - - - 259 

Screens. — Full Directions for Making all kinds of Screens. — Ban- 
ners. — How to Paint Them, etc. - - - - 266 

Lambreqains and Curtains. — Applique Designs. — Sofa Pillows, etc. 282 

Ceramics and Etching. — How to Paint China and Other Wares with- 
out Firing. — Directions for Terraline Painting. — Beautiful 
Designs for Skillful Fingers. ... - 

Etching on Linen with Ink. — A New Art. — Easy Lessons on the 

Subject. --.-.-- 285 

Kensington Painting. — How to Paint with Oil Colors on Velvet or 

Plush. —An Easy and Beautiful Art Fully Explained. - 291 



CONTENTS. IX 

Xustra, Bronze, or Prismatine Painting. — A New Method of Interior 
Decoration. — How to do the Work. — Hues that Bival the 
"Rainbow. — Bronzing Vases and Statuettes. - - . £95 

Y. 

CULTURE AND PROPAGATION OF FLOWERS, 

How to Have Flowers in Abundance. — Hot-Beds and their Manage- 
ment. — Hints on Sowing and Cultivation of Flowers. - 303 

Varieties of Flowers. — Bulbs, Climbers, Annuals, Shrubs, and their 

Treatment. ------- 311 

Window Gardening. — How to Have Flowers all Winter. — Their 

Arrangement in the Window. _ - . . 327 

Preserving Natural Flowers. — Processes Used in the Work. — How 

to Keep Bridal and Funeral Flowers. — Crystalizing Grass, 333 

YI. 

MISCELLANEOUS DECORATIVE ARTS FOR TEE HOME. 

Painting in Oil and Water-Colors. — Panel Painting. — Oil-Colors on 

Silk, Satin and Plush.— Bowl-Painting. - - - 339 

Crystal Ambrotypes. — How to Paint Photographs in Natural Colors. — 
Decalcomania, or French Decorative Art. — Materials for the 
Work. — The Process. ------ 345 

Fish Scale Embroidery. — How to Make Bags and Sachets. — How to 

Make Bugs. ----- . - 349 

Encaustic Tiles — How to Use Them. - - . - 355 

Dyeing and Bleaching — How to Treat the Fabrics. — Directions for 
Leading Colors. — Aniline Dyes. — Bleaching Sponge. — Bleaching 
Straw Goods.— Washing Fluid. - ... 360 

YII. 

HOUSEHOLD COMPENDIUM OF NEW AND VALUABLE 
RECIPES. 

Hints on Health. — Hints on Home Decoration. — Toilet Eecipes. — • 

Varnishes. — Paint. — Staining Woods. — Miscellaneous Kecipes. 377 

HOUSE-KEEPER'S MANUAL OF COOKING. 

Kitchen Utensils. — Soups. — How to Make Them. — Fish. — Poultry 
and Game. — Meats. — Pastry, — Ices. — Preserving and Canning 
Fruits. — Beverages. — Table Etiquette. — Invitations. — Bills of 
Fare. 417 

AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHY. 

How Photographs may now be taken by any one at very Small Cost. — 
Full Instructions on How to Learn the Art. — A Popular Means 
of Amusement and Profit. ... - - 470 



<mMM.:^mMM M^ 



-->^>#]^OIiOTBNESS.wv^ 



ITS VALUE, LAWS AND REWARDS. 




OLITENESS is the golden key whicli unlocks the 
door to good society. 

High birth and ancestral renown are the heri- 
tage of the few, but refined manners and gentle 
behavior are the birth right of every man and 
woman. 

From generations of education and culture, 
families may be naturally inclined to politeness, 
but each individual must cultivate those essen- 
tials, before he can be said to be familiar with 
the customs and usages of good society. 
Once possessed and practiced politeness is never lost and 
cannot be stolen ; it is well to observe also that one can 
never become so degraded from evil habits or adverse cir- 
cumstances that he does not betray at every step some evi- 
dence of his former culture and refinement. On the other 
hand, while politeness may be acquired in mature years, the 
individual will many times become embarrassed and betray 
too plainly the want of early training. 

11 



12 OTJR HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

But will not persous of refinement excuse such blunders? 
Most undoubtedly, but the very thought of having com- 
mitted such mistakes will render any one uncomfortable 
and frequently destroy the pleasure of an evening. Such 
mistakes, however, are excusable only in the middle aged 
or old. 

Young men and women upon first entering society are 
made to feel keenly their ignorance of many the forms and 
customs to which all are expected to conform. No allowance 
is made for the inexperience of young persons, and any social 
blunder, or awkwardness, is sharply criticised. Even those 
who are well informed in this respect are sometimes at a 
loss to know just what to do under certain circumstances. 

To all such a book embodying the rules recognized by 
the best society must be a welcome assistance. 

At present, ill breeding, ignorance of the laws of good 
society, and want of civility, are intolerable ; we may pity 
the ignorance of the offender, but we should not tolerate 
Ms company until he improves his manners. 

NO EXCUSE FOR ILL BRED PEOPLE NOW. 

With people having refinement all around him, and 
books offering kindly advice within his reach, there is no 
excuse whatever for continued ignorance, unless it be care- 
less indifference to the rights and good opinion of those with 
whom he is suffered to associate. 

It is a mistaken idea among some that Etiquette, Deport- 
ment, Politeness, etc., imply a certain degree of formality to 
be observed only " on state occasions," at parties, weddings, 
and the like, to be laid aside at home with the " best suit." 
Such people generally make others uncomfortable, by their 
efforts, often unsuccessful, to be polite. 



POLITENESS. 13 

Like charity, politeness should begin at home, and the 
principles it involves are as necessary to happy and pleasant 
homes as are the principles of love and duty. 

It is but the application of the Golden Eule : " Do unto 
others as you would have them do unto you." 

A gentleman or lady, who would be truly polite, must to 
a great extent forget self in the endeavor to render others 
happy. 

A just regard for the rights and feelings of those around 
us is indeed the true foundation upon which all social rela- 
tions are built. * 

LAWS OF ETIQUETTE. 

What few there are of the Laws of Etiquette, are based 
upon good taste and sound judgment, and the individual 
can therefore generally decide what course to pursue. Many 
persons imagine that reserve and haughtiness are character- 
istics of high social position. It is a great mistake. The 
real gentleman or lady forgets self and dignity and becomes 
genial and sociable. 

It will be seen that no arbitrary rules can be laid down. 
The usages of good society are stated. It is best to follow 
them. Persons who attempt to change well established cus- 
toms will fail, They are the safeguard of the social circle 
and he who would change them is generally looked upon 
with distrust. 

The best advice is — " Observe what the well bred people 
do and fall into the same usages, as if you had always been 
accustomed to them." 

'^ Etiquette" says Chesterfield, 'Ms the result of much 
good sense, some good nature and a little self-denial for the 
sake of others, and with a view to obtain the same indul- 
gence from them." While he puts the matter in a way to 



14 OUB KOMES AND TEEIB ADORNMENTS. 

lead us to infer that after all, it is for a selfish end, yet at the 
same time no one can expect gentle treatment where he 
offers no return. 

Prince Talleyrand showed his keen appreciation of the 
advantages of polite society by arranging for diplomatic 
business at the dinner table, and all readers know what a 
mighty influence these " diplomatic dinners," as it were, 
had upon European politics during the time of ]S"apoleon. 

Let no one undervalue the advantages of proper train- 
ing for social success; let all remember the advantage of 
being able at any time to assume an easy attitude in the 
social circle. 

THE WHOLE IN A NUT-SHELL. 

To go through this life with good manners possessed 
Is to be kind unto all, rich, poor, and oppressed- 

For kindness and mercy are balms that will heal 
The sorrows, the pains, and the woes that we feel. 




mMM-:^mM'M MM' 



iNHlI^ODLtGTIONS. 

WHEN? WHOM? HOW? 




luCH care and discrimination should be exercised 
in introducing people, as by this act one assumes 
a social obligation for the persons introduced, and 
society holds a gentleman responsible for whom 
he introduces to a lady, as he is supposed to 
guarantee the good character of the person. 

It is very bad taste to introduce acquaint- 
ances and friends to every one they happen to 
meet when out tor a walk, drive, or from home. 

A lady's permission must first be obtained 
before a gentleman is introduced, and her refusal 
if made, is conclusive, as her wishes are to be consulted 
first. 

In making introductions observe the following : Introduce 
A gentleman to a lady. 

An inferior to a superior ; ladies or gentlemen. 
An ordinary person to a distinguished one. 
A young man to an old one. 

A young lady to a very old or distinguished gentle- 
man. 

15 



16 OUB SOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

Speak the names distinctly — and avoid being asked to 
repeat the name — a proceeding which one dislikes very much. 

Introduce persons in some such language as follows, and 
do it pleasantly so as not to embarrass them. 

" Miss Brace, permit (or allow) me to introduce to you 
Mr. Arthur, (Mr. Arthur, Miss Brace)." Or simply "Miss 
Brace, Mr. Arthur," (raising the voice at the closing syllable 
of the lady's name.) 

"Dr. Pelham, allow me to introduce to you my friend 
Mr. Taylor, who visits our place to establish a manufactory." 
(turning to Taylor) " Dr. Pelham is our oculist." 

'' Governor Harrison, allow me to introduce my visitor 
and friend the Eev. Mr. Bruce— Mr. Bruce is pastor of the 
Congregational Church at Eichmond," (turning to Mr. 
Bruce) " Governor Harrison has just completed his term in 
the gubernatorial chair." 

The addition of such remarks makes it plain as to the 
position each occupies, and furnishes a chance to quickly 
explore a field upon which to open conversation, which 
should be done by the person who is introduced. 

In introducing members of your own family give the 
degree of relationship and the name, and do not forget to 
call your wife or husband Mrs. or Mr. This applies to con- 
versation also. 

If one is to be presented to several, mention his name 
distinctly and advancing with hiin as you introduce call the 
name of each, bowing to the person whose name you men- 
tion. 

Where a party is in progress and a guest arrives, the 
English custom is generally observed in this country, viz : 
the name of the guest is announced, he bows to the hostess 
and the company and enters into the festivities of the 
occasion. 



INTBODUCTIOm. 17 

If by any oversight a guest is not introduced to the com- 
pany when he arrives, let him enter into the spirit of the 
gathering regardless of an introduction, and let no one treat 
him as a stranger, as the host and hostess guarantee his 
good character by inviting him. 

A lady may with propriety signify to a friend her 
desire to know a gentleman, 

A visitor at your house is entitled to introduction to 
your callers. 

When a gentleman is introduced to a lady or another 
gentleman he may remark, " I am very happy to make your 
acquaintance," to which she or he responds with nothing 
more than " thanks.'' 

BOWING AND SHAKING HANDS. 

In America, where hand shaking is the rule, gentlemen 
generally observe the custom. A single lady should not 
offer her hand to a gentleman ; a married lady may do so if 
she chooses, with propriety. 

If indulged in, let the proceeding be cordial and hearty. 

To squeeze the hand of a gentleman is poor taste, and 
an insult to a lady. 

At meetings subsequent to introduction it is proper 
for single ladies to shake hands with gentlemen, if the 
acquaintanceship has reached some degree of friendship. 

Where both parties wear gloves, it is not necessary to 
remove them. Where only one is gloved, and the removal 
would cause an awkward pause, offer the hand promptly, 
with the remark, " Excuse my glove." Kid gloves are not 
expected to be removed, as the operation requires too much 
time. 

Introductions on formal occasions do not imply further 
acquaintance, but to ignore salutations made afterward is 
very bad taste. 



18 OUM HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

A lady may omit the recognition of a gentlemen if she 
chooses, but if she should have met him through the 
courtesy of a friend and not at a formal gathering, she should 
remember that her failure thereafter amounts to a " cut," 
and that she deserves no sympathy for any further slight 
the gentleman may give her pertness. 

METHODS OF SALUTATIONS 

Here is the opportunity for a gentleman to show his 
breeding — make your salutation gracefully ; practice it till 
you can. 

In saluting a lady, raise the hat and bow, and do not 
nod the head — The whole body is used in bowing. 

In saluting a gentlemen do not raise the hat but bow, or 
make a graceful courtesy with the hand ; this form is especi- 
ally graceful among gentleman of military training. 

A young lady should treat an elderly person, man or 
woman, with the same deference she expects at the hands 
of a gentleman. 

The lady should bow first in meeting a gentleman on the 
street. It is her privilege to do so, as she thus shows 
whether she desires to continue his acquaintance or not. 

A failure on her part to bow first excuses the gentleman 
from saluting her. Among very intimate friends either 
party may salute first. 

In riding, a gentleman raises his hat with the right hand 
as the left is occupied with the reins. 

When two or more gentlemen, walking on the street, meet 
a lady who is known to one only, all should raise their hats 
and bow. Those unacquainted with the lady thus show 
their respect for their friend's friend. 



m[MM-'ypmMM WWM^ 



CHLLING AJ^D CONVERSATION. 



"The friends 
Thou hast and their adoption tried 
Grasp them to thee with hooks of steeL" 

—Henry VIIL 




ALLING. In order that you may keep your 
friends and extend your acquaintance further, it 
is necessary to let them know you appreciate and 
desire their friendship. 

Society has found the best means of doing 
this to be the formal call. 

No special rules are laid down for informal 
calls on friends, the judgment and taste of the 
caller being the guide. 

All formal calls made before the dinner hour 
are designated "Morning calls," and they should 
not be of more than thirty minutes duration. 

The evening call, made after tea, is often more conveni- 
ent to all parties and may be made no later than nine, nor 
prolonged after ten. 

19 



20 OUB HOMES AND IREIB ADORNMENTS. 

RECEPTION DAYS. 

Some ladies on account of duties of a domestic, chari- 
table or other nature, receive calls only on certain days or 
evenings and so announce it. 

Callers should respect such arrangements as at other 
times it might be an intrusion. 

Gentlemen are privileged to make formal morning calls : 
To express congratulation or sympathy, 
To pay their respects to friends who have jusfc 

returned from a visit. 
To make his adieu for a protracted sojourn. 

In such calls a gentleman retains his hat and gloves in 
his hand, leaving his umbrella in the hall. 

A lady may without previous permission bring a stranger 
lady or gentleman, with her in making a formal call. 

The hostess is not obliged to introduce her callers to each, 
should several happen to come at the same hour. Her judg- 
ment must determine whether it will be agreeable. 

If others arrive during your visit, remain seated, except 
gentlemen, until the bustle is over, then withdraw, bowing 
to the other visitors. The hostess will see you to the door 
or provide you an escort. 

Refreshments are not offered at such calls. 

There are times when calls are not desirable; the hostess 
may send excuses and your card may be left ; but, if guests 
are once shown to the reception room, the duty of the per- 
son called upon is to see them. Should the hostess be busy 
or ill, or " not at home," the person answering the door bell 
should be so instructed beforehand that a proper answer 
may be given. 



CALLIIsG AND CONYEESATIOK 

VISITING CARDS. 



21 




Cards should be on fine thin white bristol board. They 
should bear the name only of the lady, never the address. 
This may be added in pencil if necessary. The size and 
shape are regulated by fashion. 

Script or old English text is always in good taste, but this 
matter may with safety be left with a reliable engraver or 
printer. 

Jjeave or send your card : 

When the hostess is out, or engaged, or ill. 
In making the first call of the season at each house. 
In case of death, call at the door, make inquiries, 
and leave a card with lower left corner turned. 
Ladies prefix Mrs. or Miss, or if there be more than one 
young lady in the family, add the christian name. 



22 OUR H0ME8 AND TREIB ADORNMENTS. 

Miss Jennie Jerome, of New York, met Lord Eandolph 
Churchill for the first time at dinner in Paris. After dinner 
she said to her sister, referring to Lord Eandolph, " That's 
the brightest man I ever met, and I'm going to marry him ! '^ 
It is reported that Lord Eandolph made an almost identical 
remark concerning her. At all events they became engaged 
almost immediately after their meeting and she became, 
shortly afterwards, Lady Churchill. 

Call upon those leaving their cards during your illness, 
as soon as sufficiently recoverd. 

Turning corners of cards : 

The right hand upper corner — A Visit. 
The right hand lower corner — To take Leave. 
The left hand upper corner — Congratulation. 
The left hand lower corner — Condolence. 

^OHVEI^SAimON. 

It is not given to every man to be a brilliant talker, or 
to express himself in writing with elegance or force. There 
is, however, no reason why any person who goes into society 
should be ignorant of the rules of polite intercourse, or fail 
to master all the customary forms of address. 

It is almost useless to say that your conversation should 
be adapted to your company ; that is, nevertheless, the 
golden rule on this subject. 

The good conversationalist is always an extensive reader, 
books, newspapers and magazines are the great store houses 
from which he derives themes and topics. 

Many who deplore their want of ability as a talker, can 
by systematic and well directed reading eventually learn the 
secrets of leading a conversation. 



CONVEESA TION.. 23 

Wit and keen repartee are not indications of special 
ability, indeed, the wit, be he ever so good, rarely ever dis- 
tinguishes himself by maintaining an extended and able 
conversation. Nothing disgusts a company sooner than the 
unsuccessful attemptof a supposed wit. If you are not sure 
your remarks possess real witticism, without any allusion to 
persons present, "don't." 

A good story teller, is able to interest a company, and is 
iilways welcome. To be a good one, requires extensive ac- 
Cjuaintance with mythology, history and anecdotes, and to 
this must be added an aptness of adaptation of language 
and selection of subject. 

THEMES FOB CONVEESATION. 

Certainly not the weather. Under no circumstances 
gossip j nor yet a theme in which but half the company 
arc interested, because it really is too local or insignificant, 
and above all abstain from discussing the absent in unfavor- 
able terms. 

" Never mention ropes where a member of the family has 
been hung." 

The latest general news may form an opening theme, 
with well timed opinions as to the bearing of events. 

The leading articles of popular magazines furnish a 
chance to modestly air your tastes in literature and compare 
your views with others. 

A book which has been out long enough to be read, may 
be discussed, but if your friends have not read it yet, spare 
the infliction and spoil not an interesting story, but content 
yourself by recommending it. 

Any local enterprise in which people are generally inter- 
ested is a very proper theme, as just such conversations, 
crystalize opinions and result in good. 



24 OUB HOMES AND TEEIB ADORNMENTS. 

And do not imagine that ladies cannot understand, ap- 
preciate or engage in topics of suf&cient interest for gentle- 
men. 

Good listeners are just as necessary as good talkers. He 
who lacks manners so as to ignore the rights of others to i 
participate in conversation, should be omitted from your/ 
list of guests for your next party. 

The man or woman who takes pains to tell, as a mattej' 
of conversation, of his former standing, his high bred rela 
tives, etc., is despised and laughed at for his foolishness. 

GENERAL SUGGESTIONS. i 

Don't whisper in private parties — if you must communi- 
cate with any one on personal matters, adjourn to another 
apartment. 

Never attempt to talk while another is speaking. In 
rare cases, an inveterate talker can be taught a lesson on 
duty and courtesy, if some quick, able and popular lady or 
gentleman will ignore him and lead the conversation, jind 
while such a course is still questionable, it can only be jijsti- 
fied on the grounds that it was doing a favor to the w|iole 
company. / 

If two make a remark at the same time, mutual apoUgies 
as " pardon me " are due. 

Excuse yourself instantly for an interruption. 

Do not criticise the language of others. 

Speak in a distinct, well modulated voice, but avoid loud 
talking. A low, sweet voice is one of a woman's greatest 
charms, and will never fail to win her the admiration of 
men. 

Eemember "brevity is the soul of wit ; " therefore "speak 
little, but speak well, if you would be thought a person of 
good sense," 



CONVERSATION. 25 

Be cautious in relating anecdotes. Unless you can relate 
a story with ease and effect, it is better not to attempt it. 

Avoid laughing at your own wit. 

Do not mimic the peculiarities, infirmities, or shortcom- 
ings of others in general society. You may give offense to 
some one present who is a friend of the person caricatured. 

You need not tell all the truth unless to those who have 
a right to know it all. But let all you tell be truth. 

Beware of advising an angry or an opinionated person. 

Be cautious as to asking questions. The reply may be 
very embarrassing. 

Do not sit dumb in company, but bear your share in the 
general conversation. Do this with modesty and self pos- 
session, neither thrusting yourself forward, nor hesitating 
where you should speak. It is better to be a good listener 
than a good talker. 

Always listen to a person who is addressing you, in a 
manner that will show him that you are interested in his 
speech. You can pay him no higher compliment. 

It is not necessary to express your opinions upon all sub- 
jects ; but if you give utterance to them, do so fearlessly, 
frankly, and with courteous regard for the opinions of 
others. 

The greater your learning, the more modest should be 
your manner of expressing it. 

Eestrain any desire to shine, and be most particular not 
to monopolize the conversation. It is presumptuous in one 
person to attempt to lead the conversation, much less to 
monopolize it. 



&MM-'^mMM MW'^ 




■-^^xnTiRy^JUir-^^ 




e'&y W^u^^i^ 




HE first and greatest truth that should be kept 
constantly in mind is that in writing a letter you 
are talking with your pen instead of with your 
mouth, and your aim should be to express your- 
self as simply and naturally as you would in 
conversation. Your letters should bear so strong 
an impress of your individuality, that your cor- 
respondent, upon reading it, will involuntarily 
exclaim, "That's like Pierson, isn't it?" It is 
this trait that renders the letters of children so 
charming. 

There is this difference, however, between conversation 
and correspondence : the former is more unrestrained ; the 
latter more precise. Still, even in the most formal letters, a 
simple and natural style, in keeping with the form of con- 
versation you would adopt under like circumstances, should 

be the same. 

26 



GOBBESPONDENGE, 27 

The subject of the letter, and the person addressed must 
govern you always in writing. 

The plainer and simpler the style, the better. Say ex- 
actly what you mean. Use few quotations. Your own 
language is preferable. , 

Should you use abbreviations, be sure that the reader 
will understand them. 

Postscripts are objectionable, as an indication of negli- 
gence. You should consider your letter with sufficient care 
before closing, to embody your entire communication in the 
body of your letter. 

The letter should be written as neatly as it is possible 
for you to write. 

It should be properly spelled and punctuated, and should 
be grammatically correct. In short, a letter should repre- 
sent the writer in his very best light. 

In using figures which may be expressed in three words, 
write them out in full, and do not employ the signs. Thus, 
you should say, " I will be with you on the twenty-first of 
the month ; " 'not, " I will be with you on the 21st of the 
month." 

THE PENMANSHIP. 

Legibility, is the only requirement which must be faith- 
fully observed, but every one who has the proper use of the 
fingers, hand and arm, can easily learn a graceful and attrac- 
tive style. There is but one way — Practice. 

Persons who would learn to wield the pen easily, rapidly 
and gracefully, will find the secret in constant practice. 

If you are a poor speller, have a dictionary at hand. 

It is the custom now in writing numbers to spell them 
out, up to one hundred. Thus, sixty-seven, not 67. 

If the reader may not be able to tell an N from a U, draw 



28 OUR HOMES AND TREIB ADORNMENTS. 

a line under the latter, and follow this rule always in writ- 
ing for newspaper. 

RULES FOR LETTER WRITING. 

1. The Heading — The name of your place and State 
should begin on the top line a little to the right of its middle 
point ; if the name be short the date can follow it on the 
same line, but this is usually written on the next line below, 
beginning a little farther to the right. 

2. The Complimentary Address. — This consists of the name 
and title of the person written to, with his residence. 

Begin the address on the left, about half an inch from 
the edge of the sheet, on the first or second line below the 
date, and write the residence on the next line, beginning a 
little farther to the right. In correspondence between mili- 
tary officers, it is customary to open with the salutation and 
add the address at the lower left hand of letter. 

Use the proper title, Mr., Esq., Eev., Dr., Prof., Gen., etc., 
but do not use more than one, except in few instances. 

3. The Salutation. — This must be properly chosen ac- 
cording to the degree of friendship, or relative position, but 
it is impolite not to use it. 

To ladies, Madam, Dear Madam, etc ; to gentlemen. Sir, 
My Dear Sir, etc. 

It is customary among friends who fully understand each 
other, to write " My Dear Preston," or some such terms, thus 
combining the address and salutation, and omitting the 
residence. In private correspondence, letters of friendship 
rarely ever open with the formal address. 

4. The Body of the Letter. — This should begin on the 
line below and a little to the right of the salutation, but 
with the size of paper known as letter size, the body of the 
letter may begin on the same line with the salutation, a dash 
intervening. 



COUEESI^ONDENCE. 29 

The body of the letter deserves especial attention and 
the few suggestions offered, will enable any one to construct 
a creditable one. 

Should your letter be a reply, take up each subject your 
correspondent discusses and answer it in a separate para- 
graph. 

5. Paragraph all your letters unless very short, as you 
thus set off each subject and render your letter easy to read. 
A paragraph should begin one inch from the left margin of 
the sheet. 

Be prompt in answering letters requiring attention. 

Business letters should be written on but one side of the 
sheet, and all letters should have the pages numbered. 

If your correspondent has not already been apprised of 
any intended change of address, add it after your name. 

Your friends will judge from other means, but strangers 
and business men will estimate your worth from the style 
of letter you write. Eemember this and always do your 
best. 

6. The Closing. — This follows the body of the letter^ 
and its arrangement should '' round up " the whole letter* 

The style of close depends upon the person addressed, 
the acquaintance and the kind of letter, "Yours truly," 
"Yours very sincerely," " Your friend," " Cordially yours," 
" Your obedient servant," are some of the terms. 

Following this your name in * plain letters, and, if neces- 
sary, your address. This and the close should be so written 
that the beginning of each succeeding line will be to the 
right of the one directly above it. 



* The Post Office at Washington has a Dead Letter Office dedicated to people 
•who are too careless to write their name and address in a readable style. 



FORM OF A LETTER. 



(2) 



,^ 



(1) <&e'i.4-e X2f^a-€^/€, 0&^«2^ 



l€^ 



^d- \^y/%)<H-'yted, C-X^. 



(3) \^^(y i^^^^ ^^^^ . 

(4) 0*W 4-e^-ui^. ft)- 'Z^f-e^-i' €d-€e€'>j^€t^ 
^^^/ <5Z^-2!^^j?-:^^ ■f-'^i^-e^-f-'-l^ <At7-d. ^€/ ^J^^^e -fa?- -^e-^ 

(5) G^^ ■^a^ i^ -zt^e-/^ edfc^iA/^fd^ec/ ■/Ae^dtj'i€dd 

(6) V>^-^^ 'fle^'/^ ■^.€?€^'id ^ 



THE FIGURES REFER TO THE FIGURES ON TOPICS ON PRECEDING PAGES- 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



31 



LETTER PAPER AND ENVELOPES. 

Commercial note size is the smallest sold by dealers. 

Letter size is usually about as wide as the former is long, 
and a trifle longer than it is wide. 

Envelopes are numbered. No. 5 for general correspon- 
dence, No. 6 or 6J for business. 

Be careful in addressing envelopes. Much trouble is saved. 

Married ladies should precede their signature with Mrs. 

Sample of Envelope and Address. 













^ 

^ 

^ 






M 






T 

^ 




^^^^:^.=!S)t^!=.l 




>HE JLET Of lilYING JIIMERS. 





T has been said that the social progress of a com- 
munity is in exact proportion to the number of 
its dinner parties; and in all ages the friendship 
of nations, as well as of individuals, has been ce- 
mented, and enmities forgotten, in the allure- 
ments of dining. It is an undeniable fact that 
more enduring alliances have been struck by 
diplomatists across the dinner table than were 
ever agreed upon in ministerial cabinets, Talle- 
rand regarded the dinner table as the best place 
for the transaction of diplomatic business. And 
can any one doubt that much of the culture of the world, 
with all its elements of refined manners, intellectual progress, 
and taste for science, literature, and the fine arts, is largely 
dependent upon the social gatherings at the dinner tables of 
the metropolitan cities? 

The rules which regulate dinner giving and dining in 
America, have been adopted from both England and France, 

[32] 



THE ART OF GIVING DINNERtS. 33 

as they have been found to fit our social conditions ; and the 
dinner giver who attempts to be original is likely to fail, be- 
cause he disturbs the harmony which established customs 
insure. The path of safety here, as in all social matters, is 
the beaten track. 

The first consideration, when a dinner has been decided 
on, is a discreet selection of guests. The proper limit as to 
numbers will be decided by the good sense of the host and 
hostess, the size of the table and dining-room being impor- 
tant considerations, though the number of guests should not 
exceed twelve. Thirteen is an ominous number, and there 
are superstitious people who would not sit at the table when 
thirteen were present, from the belief that some fatahty 
might soon happen to one of their number. 

The aim of the host and hostess should be to brinff to- 
gether such people as are of equal intellectual attainments, 
and of like social standing. Guests are wanted who will 
affect each other pleasantly. They need not be friends, nor 
even acquaintances, but they must be congenial, and have 
common tastes and sympathies. Good talkers are invalu- 
able, and good listeners no less so. The test of the success 
of a dinner party is the manner in which the conversation 
Ls sustained at the table. A constant flow of talk and mer- 
riment is proof that the guests have been wisely chosen, 
while embarrassing halts and dead pauses in conversation 
denote that they are not in sympathy with one another. 

The invitations are issued in the name of the host and 
hostess from three to ten days in advance. They are sent 
by messenger, and not by mail, only when the distance is 
too great to send a trusty servant. An invitation to a din- 
ner party requires a prompt answer, and if it is accepted 



34 OUR SOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

the engagement must be sacredly kept, as the non-arrival of 
a guest means an empty chair at the table, a lady with- 
out an escort, or a gentleman without a lady. If in doubt, 
it is better to decline; but if an invitation has been ac- 
cepted, and an insurmountable obstacle intervenes, an ex- 
planation must be made at once, so that the vacant place in 
the little circle may be filled. 

The following is the form of the invitation : — 



JWi. mvd JM&. WiMmn ^uUcn 
i^ii^U i£^ jvhuMi/l^ of JM. an-d JUU. <:^UHi'id ^inoCcUi'^ 

uaiij' 26, (d {ym^n o'cho^. 

23 Lafayette Avenue. 



The day of the week and the hour are written in full, 
but figures may be used for the day of the month. 

If the dinner is given in honor of some friend or 
stranger, a second card is inclosed in the envelope with the 
invitation on which is inscribed: — ■ 



3^0 m^d 
of J^^w Voi^ ({iiif. 



D INKER INVITATION. 35 

The following is a good form for an acceptance, which 
must be sent immediately: — ■ 

JM. and JWu. <M)iMi4d ^inc^i 

uoo^jvt wUfi' jvha^uU f^^ invifuUcn cf JM. and JWU. 

WUdam ^i^Uon, to dinn^l, at ^mmv oc^oo^, 

en W^n^dai^, j^ammi^ 26. 

If the invitation cannot be accepted, the persons invited 
send a reply immediately with regrets, and state reasons of 
their inabihty to accept, which may be either on account of 
sickness in the family, intended absence, or some previous 
enofaffement. 

Guests may arrive any time during the half hour be- 
fore the time appointed for dinner. This interval gives 
time for introductions and greetings. To delay beyond the 
appointed hour is unpardonable rudeness. Fifteen minutes 
is the longest time a hostess is required to wait for a tardy 
comer. 

She is an excellent hostess who can make conversation 
general before dinner. " To this end," says one writer, 
" have some novelty at hand, either in the shape of a per- 
sonage whom every guest wants to meet, or a new picture, 
bric-a-hrac, a rare plant, the latest spiciest news to tell, or 
a pretty girl to bring forward." " Whatever the attraction, 
present it early, to prevent monotoney, and if the half or 
quarter hour before the guests assemble around the table can 
be so used as to bring them upon easy terms with one an- 
other, the success of the dinner, in a social way, is more than 
half established." 



36 OUB HOMES AND TREIB AD0BNMENT8. 

Among her other duties, the hostess has taken into con- 
sideration the arrangement of her guests at the table, with 
a view of having them paired off to their mutual advantage 
and to the pleasure of all concerned, so that when dinner is 
announced the host and hostess quietly intimate to the dif- 
ferent gentlemen whom they are to escort to the table. " Mr. 
Power, will you be so kind as to escort Miss Strong to din- 
ner? Mr, Sharp, please look after the interests of Mrs. 
Keene, and Mr. Keene, you may do the agreeable to Mrs. 
Sharp, that will be a keen sharp trade all around. Mr. 
Wright, suppose you finish telling that little story to Miss 
Straight at the table," and so on. If the dinner is given in 
honor of some lady guest, the host offers her his arm and 
goes out first, and the hostess last. On the other hand, if 
the honored guest be a gentleman, he escorts the hostess, and 
they lead the way, and the host follows the company. The 
hostess having already arranged the places at the table for 
each guest, and placed a card with the name written upon it, 
on each of the plates, the guests have no difficulty in 
finding their respective seats at table. This method is now 
used at private dinners, having long been the custom at 
public dinners. 

The gentleman offers his right arm to the lady he escorts 
to dinner, and seats her on his left hand at the table. On 
reaching their places, he draws out the chair for her, and 
allows her to be seated before he seats himself. The honored 
guest, if a lady, is seated at the right of the host ; if a gen- 
tleman, at the right of the hostess. It becomes the duty of 
each gentleman to see that the lady he escorts to the table 
is well provided for, and where food is passed around from 
guest to guest, to allow her to be helped before he helps 
himself. 



TABLE DECOBATIONS. 37 

Table decorations should not be used to a great extent, 
but should be choice, when used at all. Flowers should be 
fine but few, for to some people the odor of flowers does not 
mingle pleasantly with that of the food before them. 

It must not be supposed that dinners must be costly and 
elaborate to be enjoyable, noi- will guests expect that a din- 
ner will be other than commensurate with the circumstances 
of the host and hostess. Costly dinners are not necessarily 
good dinners, while the surroundings may be so agreeable 
and cheerful, the table so tastefully spread, the welcome so 
frank, and the conversation so bright that a very simple 
dinner is indeed charming, and affords the utmost pleasure 
to hostess, host, and guests alike. 

No dinner should be considered complete without at 
least three courses, which may be classed as: First, soups; 
second, meats; and third, dessert of pastry or puddings. 
This may be easily doubled up, having for the firet course, 
a small dish of raw oysters, or clams; second, soup or boiled 
fLsh; third, meats; fourth, salads; fifth, pastry and pud- 
dings; sixth, ices, fruits, nuts, and raisins, with coffee. Be- 
fore the dining-room is opened, half a dozen raw oystei-s are 
placed in a small dish before each plate. If the season is 
warm, they may be placed on cracked ice, with a quarter 
of a lemon to each plate. When oysters are not in season, 
small clams may be substituted, in which case red pepper 
should be provided. These may be eaten after the party 
have seated themselves for dinner, A dish of soup or of 
boiled fish, or both, may then be served. The dishes in 
which these are served being I'emoved, the meats may ])e 
served, together with the vegetables and substantial, and 
they are either roast beef, mutton, or turkey. These may 



38 OUB HOMES AND THE IK ADORNMENTS. 

be followed by boiled meats. As a rule, the roast precedes 
the boiled, next come the salads and entrees, and then fol- 
low the pastry or puddings, and finally, ices, fruits, nuts, 
raisins, candy, and coffee. If it should be a game dinner, the 
game may take the place of the meats in the third course. 
This bill of fare may be varied according to inclination or 
circumstances. Should the host and hostess desire to in- 
clude wines in their bill of fare, it would be well to remem- 
ber that Sauterne, or any light white wines should come 
with the oysters before soup. Sherry after soup, and that 
Champagne comes with the roast. If wine is brought on 
for a dessert, champagne is preferable. 

There are two methods of serving a dinner, the French 
and Russian. The former is the ordinary way, the various 
dishes being set on the table to be carved and served by the 
host and hostess, and passed to the guests, or handed to 
them by a servant. The Russian method, which is often 
adopted for formal dinners, is for waiters to serve each 
guest separately, all the carving, etc., being done before the 
food is brought to the table. By this method more servants 
are required, and it gives a better opportunity for the dec- 
oration of the table, if that is desirable. The English cus- 
tom is to set all the dishes of each course on the table at 
once, and then those that are to be carved are removed to 
a side table and carved by a skillful servant. The advan- 
tages of the Russian custom is that it leaves host and 
hostess almost as free as the guests to guide and take part in 
the conversation. 

As the main object of giving a dinner party is enjoy- 
ment and pleasure for all concerned, it is incumbent upon 
all to be in their happiest mood, and for each to do his or 



MAIiNHES AT THE TABLE. 39 

her part in rendering the occasion as delightful as possible. 
Lively and sprightly conversation, and cheerful ways are 
especially desirable, and when each endeavors to make all 
others happy about him, the sociable feature of the dinner 
is not likely to prove a failure. Ill-nature should never be 
brought to a dinner table, and any display of it is a mark 
of ill-breeding. It is not in good taste for two persons to 
monopolize the conversation by a discussion in which few 
or none of the other guests are interested. The conversa- 
tion should be of a nature to be of interest to all, or 
the great majority, so that each may enter into its spirit. 
If the dinner party is a large one you may converse with 
those near you in a low tone of voice. The hostess should 
endeavor to put all her guests at their ease, paying every 
attention to the wants of all, so far as possible. She needs 
self-possession and tact so that she may anticipate every 
want. It is the duty of the host to aid her as far as pos- 
sible, and to endeavor to encourage the timid, draw out the 
silent, and direct the conversation, while others sustain it. 

The table-cloth must be white and spotless, and under 
it should be spread a thick baize or other cloth to prevent 
the noise of dishes. Napkins should be of fine texture, but 
firm and folded square. The dishes should be free from 
nicks and scrupulously clean. FloM'^ers, when not used in 
great profusion, are the most tasteful ornaments for the 
table. Fruit, tastefully arranged, may also be used to as- 
sist in the table decoration. 

When the dinner is served up in the ordinary way the 
plates and the dishes to be served are placed before the host 
or hostess. When each dish is served into the plate, it is 
placed upon the waiter's small salver, who sets it before the 



40 OUB ROMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

guest. If a second dish is served in the same course, the 
waiter presents the dish, having first put into it a spoon, to 
the left of the guest, who helps himself. As soon as any- 
one has finished his plate, it is removed, without waiting for 
the others to finish. When all the plates are removed, the 
next course is brought on. The crumb-brush is not used 
until just before the dessert, and after that is served, the 
waiter whose services are no longer needed, leaves the room. 
In serving, the most honored guest, that is the lady at the 
right of the host, should be first helped. 

At a dinner party, great care should be taken that the 
food be served neatly ; the plates should not be helped too 
abundantly or the food flooded with gravies, which many 
dislike. To some people it is disagreeable to have a plate 
bedaubed with gravy or scattered food. Food is passed to 
a guest from the left, but water is poured at the right of a 
guest. Each guest should have ample space at the table so 
that he may eat without crowding, or being ci'owded by, 
his neighbor. Consequently it is important for the success 
of the dinner that no more be invited than can be comforta- 
bly accommodated. 

While individual manners at the table require a kind 
consideration for the rights and feelings of othei's which 
marks the true gentleman, there are details of behavior 
which deserve mention. 

Raw oysters must be eaten with a fork. Soup should 
be sipped from the side of the Spoon and without noise. A 



MANNERS AT THE TABLE. 41 

soup plate should never be tilted for the last spoonful, and 
it should not be called for a second time. Fish should be 
eaten either with the fork, or a fish-knife. Salads, cheese, 
pastry, and everything that can be cut or broken without 
a knife should be eaten with a fork. A knife should never 
be put into the mouth during a meal. Bread should be 
broken, never cut at the table. Turkey, chicken, and game 
are cut up, never picked with the fingers, unless in the in- 
dulgence of a family dinner, when the bone may be held in 
one hand and picked. Salt must be taken on the side of the 
plate and never upon the table-cloth. The fork conveys 
food to the mouth and may be used in either hand, as most 
convenient. Food that cannot be handled with a fork 
should be eaten with a spoon. To help yourself to butter 
or any food from a common dish, with your own knife or 
fork, is a gross offense. It is exceedingly impolite to pick 
the teeth at the table, or in the presence of ladies after a 
meal. If it is necessary to use a tooth-pick at the table, it 
is done while the napkin is held over the mouth. Avoid 
making any sound with the mouth while eating or chew- 
ing food. Eat slowly, both for the sake of health and good 
manners, and do not take so large a mouthful that you find 
it difficult or impossible to speak. Do not lean the ellx)ws 
or lay the hands on the table, or play with knives and forks 
or glasses, or lounge in, or tilt back, youi* chair, or take a 
lounging attitude at the table. When you have finished a 
coui-se, lay your knife and fork side by side on the plate, 
which is the signal for their removal. Never dip bread 
into gravy or preserves. 

Refuse fish if you wish, but do not call for it a second 
time. When soup is passed as the first course, never refuse 



42 OUB HOMES AND IHEIB ADORNMENTS. 

it, but you need not partake of it unless you wish to. Never 
apologize to a waiter for asking him for anything; it is his 
business to serve. Never rebuke a waiter, as that is the 
business of the host. When dishes are passed by one guest 
to another, help yourself before offering it to the next, as it 
makes confusion and delay to do otherwise. Never use the 
napkin to wipe your face or nose. It is for the lips only. 
Do not scrape your plate, or tilt it up to get the last drop, 
or wipe it with a piece of bread. Pudding may be eaten 
with a fork or spoon as is most convenient. Ices require 
a spoon. 

It is rude to monopolize the conversation at the table, or 
to talk or laugh loud. Boisterous conduct is particularly 
ill-mannered at the table. If a special delicacy has been pre- 
pared by the hostess for the dinner, which a guest does not 
care for, or which his health will not permit him to eat, he 
may take a portion of it on his plate and eat as much or as 
little of it as he pleases. To refuse it might be to injure the 
feelings of your hostess. It is not regarded in good taste to 
say much about the food, either in praise or disparagement. 
If one is obliged to leave the table before a meal is finished, 
he should ask the hostess to excuse him. Bread should be 
held on the plate or near the table, while it is buttered, and 
it should be broken, and not bitten into. The general rule 
is that nothing should be bitten at the table. 

One should not sit too near the table, nor too far from it, 
nor drum with his fingers, nor make diaoframs with his 
knife and fork, nor twirl his goblet, nor play with his salt- 
cellar, nor cough, sneeze, or smack his lips, nor put his 
elbows on the table, nor fidget in his chair, nor blow in his 
■soup to cool it, nor soak up gravy with his bread. If a 



TABLE TALK. 43 

plate is handed you at table, keep it, unless you are re- 
quested to pass it to another. The host knows whom he 
wishes to serve first. As soon as you receive your plate, 
you are at liberty to begin eating without waiting until all 
others are served, as is often done. An apple may be held 
in the hand while paring, and eaten in small slices cut from 
the whole fruit, carrying each slice to the mouth on the 
poiat of a fruit knife. Never bite into an apple at the 
table. 

In cases where a person is in doubt just what to do, or 
how to act at table, it would be well to conform to the usage 
of those around him, for it is almost impossible to give rules 
or suggest hints to apply to all cases and all circumstances 
into which a person may be thrown. 

We have presented some rules regarding the preparation 
and serving of a formal dinner. In every well-regu- 
lated family the table should be prepared daily with the 
same care, if not so elaborate, as for such an occasion. 
This is a good way to insure success for hostess and servants 
when a dinner party does come off, while it give-s the mis- 
tress and servants the luxury of becoming used to a nice 
style, so that it is just as easy as common ways, and no sud- 
den visitor can put them out. In the family it should be 
observed as a rule to meet together at all meals of the day 
around one common table where the same rules of etiquette 
should be as rigidly enforced as at the table of a stranger. 
It is only by the constant practice of the rules of good soci- 
ety at home that good manners become easy when any of 
them are invited out to meet strangers. 



4!: OUB R0ME8 AND THEIR ABOBNMENTS. 

At the breakfast table, a greater amount of freedom is 
allowable than at the other meals of the day. Some mem- 
bers of the family require to be off at an early hour. Thus 
all may not be able to meet together, and each may rise 
and leave the table when business or pleasure dictate. The 
mistress serves the coffee, and the master of the house the 
meats, potatoes, etc. Whenever practicable, it is well to 
serve fruits at breakfast, and they should be served first, 
followed by oat-meal, or wheaten grits, then the meats and 
vegetables, with toast, hot cakes, and coffee. 

The last meal of the day, supper or " tea," is the sim- 
plest of the three, and meats are mostly served cold, while 
the nicest delicacies of cookery are served up. 

In some sense, housekeeping is making the most of life, 
bringing taste and variety into jit, compassing difficult ends 
with invention. Those who disdain it lower themselves. 
Never think that any thing is too good for you or yours 
that you can obtain. Everywhere there are people living 
in small common ways, because they are absolutely afraid 
of the expense or the notice which a pleasanter life would 
bring. Half the niceties of life involve only care to secure 
them, without a dollar of expense. Good manners cost 
nothing, good taste is a saving, and good housekeeping act- 
ually makes money. People grow refined first in their eat- 
ing. How is it that the most brilliant and clever nation in 
the world has also the best cooking? Put these things to- 
gether, and do your best according to their result. 

We present the following Bills of Fare for various meals, 
which may be found of value to our readers: — 



mMM-:^mMM 'W'^ 



CQANNEr^s Am Y}Ome, 



SUGGESTIONS AS TO SIMPLE MANNERS TAUGHT GIRLS AND 
BOYS AT HOME.— BEARING OF WIFE AND HUSBAND TO- 
WARD ONE ANOTHER. 




HE easiest and best way to ensure good manners 
in grown people is to begin when they are boys 
and girls. Care in little matters of politeness and 
courtesy when young will form habits of good be- 
havior, to which we all cling unconsciously in ma- 
turer years, and which will save ourselves and 
friends many hours of regret for small breaches 
of decorum which might have been avoided. To 
those who have been taught these things the fol- 
lowing suggestions may seem trivial and need- 
less, but many a child is anxious to know " how 
to behave," and many a father and mother will be glad of 
a few words of counsel to supiplement their own deficiencies 
and perhaps in some cases to supply points they had not 
thought of 

Children should be taught not to interrupt older people 

in conversation. If they are in company with their parents 

45 



46 OUB HOMES AND TREIB ADORNMENTS. 

and those visiting them they may listen to what is said, but 
their voices should remain silent. The old adage, ' ' Child- 
ren should be seen and not heard," is good for all times of 
this character. 

A boy should remove his hat immediately on entering 
a house, no matter if he sees no one as he comes in. The hat 
should always be removed in the presence of ladies, and it 
is well to ensure this by always taking it off as soon as you 
enter the house. 

It seems almost unnecessary to repeat that a boy or girl 
should always put a handle on their "yes " and "no," (Yes, 
Ma'm ; No, Sir). We always expect a well bred child to 
do this, but they sometimes hear little of this simple courtesy 
among older people, and so the more easily forget it them- 
selves. 

All drumming on the window-pane or kicking the chair 
in which they sit children should guard against. 

A child's toilet should be attended to in his room, and 
cleaning or picking of the finger nails or nose should be 
shunned in company as a very filthy habit. 

In all their intercourse among one another the boy and 
the girl should aways try to be the gentleman and lady, 
should take a pride in seeing how polite they can be, and it 
is perfectly right for them to be pleased when they hear 
people say, " What a well-behaved child ; I wish my little 
boy knew how to act as well." 

It ought not to be necessary to urge children always to 
be respectful to those older than themselves. ISTothing so 
shows want of good manners as disrespect to older people. 
In a crowded room or in the street car a child should always 
give up his seat to an old lady or gentleman, and in the par- 
lor the child should not be seated while those older remain 
standing. 



WIFE AND HUSBAND. 47 

These few hints are thrown out not as covering the 
whole field of etiquette for children, but only as covering 
a few points about which they should be especially careful. 
The prudent mother and father will need to keep a contin- 
ual watch over their little ones to see that they are growing 
up as ladies and gentleman. 

Wife and Husband. 

Courtesy between husband and wife should not cease 
with marriage. The cool indifference which some married 
persons display towards each other is as objectionable as the 
excessive affection of others. You should never forget that 
your wife is a lady, entitled to all the courtesy and atten- 
tion you lavished upon her before marriage. The wife, on 
her part, should so conduct herself that her husband will 
delight to treat her thus. 

Duties of the Wife. 

On the wife especially devolves the privilege and pleas - 
nre of rendering home happy. We shall, therefore, speak of 
such duties and observances as pertain to her. 

When a young wife first settles in her home, many excel- 
lent persons immediately propose that she should devote some 
©f her leisure time to charitable purposes. We say with all 
earnestness to our young friend, engage in nothing of the 
kind, however laudable, without previously consulting your 
husband, and obtaining his full concurrence. Remember 
that your Heavenly Father, who has given you a home to 
dwell in, requires from you a right performance of its duties. 
Win your husband, by all gentle appliances, to love religion ; 
but do not, for the sake even of a privilege and a blessing, 
leave him to spend his evenings alone. Look often on your 
marriage ring, and remember the sacred vows taken by you 



48 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

when the ring was given ; such thoughts will go far toward 
allaying many of these petty vexations which circumstances 
call forth. 

Never let your husband have cause to complain that you 
are more agreeable abroad than at home ; nor permit him to 
see in you an object of admiration, as respects your dress 
and manners, when in company, while you are negligent of 
both in the domestic circle. Many an unhappy marriage 
has been occasioned by neglect in these particulars. 

Beware of intrusting any individual whatever with 
small annoyances, or misunderstandings, between your hus- 
band and yourself, if they unhappily occur. Confidants are 
dangerous persons, and many seek to obtain an ascendency 
in families by gaining the good opinion of young married 
women. Be on your guard, and reject every overture that 
may lead to undesirable intimacy. Should anyone presume 
to offer you advice with regard to your husband, or seek to 
lessen him in your estimation by insinuations, shun that 
person as you would a serpent. Many a home has been ren- 
dered desolate by exciting coolness or suspicion, or by 
endeavors to gain importance in an artificial and insidious 
manner. 

In all money matters, act openly and honorably. Keep 
your accounts with the most scrupulous exactness, and let 
your husband see that you take an honest pride in rightly 
appropriating the money which he intrusts to you. 

In middle life instances frequently occur of concealment 
in regard to money matters, which results in estrangement 
when the husband finds it out, as he is almost certain to do. 
We affectionately warn our younger sisters to avoid mak- 
ing purchases that require concealment. Be content with 
such things as you can honorably afford, and such as your 
husbands approve. 



THE HUSBAND'S DUTIES. 4» 

Lastly, remember your standing as a lady, and never 
approve a mean action, nor speak an unrefined word ; let all 
your conduct be such as an honorable and right-minded 
man may look for in his wife, and the mother of his children. 
The slightest duplicity destroys confidence. The least want 
of refinement in conversation, or in the selection of books, 
lowers a woman — ay, and forever ! Follow these few simple 
precepts, and they shall prove of more worth to you than, 
rubies ; neglect them, and you will know what sorrow is ! 

The Husband's Duties. 

When a man marries, it is understood that all former 
acquaintanceship ends, unless he intimate a desire to renew 
it by sending you his own and his wife's card, if near, or by 
letter, if distant. In the first place, a bachelor is sometimes 
not very particular in the choice of his companions. So 
long as he is amused, he will associate freely enough 
with those whose morals and habits would point them out 
as highly dangerous persons to introduce into the sanctity 
of domestic life. Secondly, a married man has the tastes of 
another to consult ; and the friend of the husband may not 
be equally acceptable to the wife. 

Besides, newly married people may wish to limit the cir- 
cle of their friends from praiseworthy motives of economy. 
Many have had cause to regret the weakness of mind which 
allowed them to plunge into a vortex of gayety and expense 
they could ill afford, from which they have found it difficult 
to extricate themselves, and the effects of which have 
proved a serious evil to them in after life. 

Eender your home happy by kindness and attention to 
your wife, and carefully watch over your words and actions. 
If small disputes arise, and your wife has not sufficient good 
sense to yield her opinion — nay, if she seems determined to 



50 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

have her own way, and that tenaciously, do not get angry ; 
rather be silent, and let the matter rest. An opportunity 
will soon occur of speaking affectionately, yet decidedly, on 
the subject, and much good will be effected. Master your 
own temper, and you will soon master your wife's ; study 
her happiness without yielding to any caprices, and you 
will have no reason to regret your self-control. 

Never let your wife go to church alone on Sunday. You 
can hardly do a worse thing as regards her good opinion of 
you and the well-being of your household, Eemember that 
the condition of a young bride is often a very solitary one ; 
and that for your sake she has left her parents' roof and the 
companionship of her brothers and sisters. If you are a 
professional man, your wife may have to live in the neigh- 
borhood of a large city, where she scarcely knows anyone, 
and without those agreeable domestic occupations, or young 
associates, among whom she had grown up. Her garden 
and poultry yard are hers no longer, and the day passes 
without the light of any smile but yours You go off, most 
probably after breakfast, to your business or profession, and 
do not return till a late dinner ; perhaps even not then, if 
you are much occupied, or have to keep up professional 
connections. It seems unmanly, certainly most unkind, to 
let your young wife go to church on Sunday without you, 
for the common-place satisfaction of lounging at home. 

Lastly, we recommend every young married man, who 
wishes to render his home happy, to consider his wife as the 
light of his domestic circle, and to permit no clouds, how- 
ever small, to obscure the region in which he presides. 
Most women are naturally amiable, gentle and complying; 
and if a wife becomes perverse and indifferent to her home, 
it is generally the husband's fault. Be not selfish, but com- 
plying, in small things. If your wife dislikes cigars — and 



ETIQUETTE OF PUBLIC PLACES. 51 

few young women like to liave their clothing tainted by 
tobacco — leave off smoking ; for it is at best an ungentle- 
manly and dirty habit. 

If your wife asks you to read to her, do not put your feet 
upon a chair and go to sleep. If she is fond of music, accom- 
pany her as you were wont to do when you sought her for a 
bride. The husband may say that he is tired, and does not 
like music or reading aloud. This may occasionally be true 
and no amiable woman will ever desire her husband to do 
what would really weary him. We, however, recommend a 
young man to practice somewhat of self-denial, and to 
remember, that no one acts with a due regard to his own 
happiness who lays aside, when married, those gratifying 
attentions which he was ever ready to pay the lady of his 
love, or to those rational sources of home enjoyment which 
made her look forward with a bounding heart to become his 
companion through life. 

Finally, remember it is your duty to make the most lib- 
eral provision for your family your means will permit. 
Cultivate economy by all means, but let it be of a liberal 
character. Spare your wife all the physical labor you can, 
especially if she be the mother of your children. Her 
health is your greatest treasure. Your money is badly 
saved at the cost of her health and freshness. 

Etiquette of Public Places. 

Proper and dignified conduct in public is the sure mark 
of the well bred man and woman. It is the characteristic 
of the truly polite to be always quiet, unobtrusive, consid- 
erate of others, and careful to avoid all manifestations of 
superiority even, especially if the superiority exists. In 
fact it is the mark of a snob for one to be forever pushing 
his claims in the presence of more worthy but less preten- 
tious people. 



52 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

Loud and boisterous talking, immoderate laughing and 
forward and pushing conduct are always marks of bad breed- 
ing. They inevitably subject a person to the satirical 
remarks of the persons with whom he is thrown, and are 
perhaps the surest means of proclaiming that such a person 
is not used to the ways of polite society. 

Etiquette in Church. 

It is the duty of a well bred person to attend church 
regularly on Sunday. 

In entering the church you should pass quietly and 
deliberately to your pew or seat. Walking rapidly up the 
aisle is sure to disturb the congregation. 

If you are a stranger, wait in the lower part of the aisle 
until the sexton or ushers show jou a seat, or you are 
invited to enter some pew. 

A gentleman should remove his hat as soon as he enters 
the inner doors of the church, and should not replace it on 
his head after service until he has reached the outer vesti- 
bule. 

In accompanying a lady to church, pass up the aisle by 
her side, open the pew door for her, allow her to enter first, 
and then enter and seat yourself beside her. 

Should a lady desire to enter a pew in which you are sit- 
ting next the door, rise, step out into the aisle, and allow 
her to enter. 

Once in church, observe the most respectful silence, 
except when joining in the worship. Whispering or laugh- 
ing before the service begins, or during service, is highly 
improper. When the worship is over, leave the sacred 
edifice quietly and deliberately. You may chat with your 
friends in the vestibule, but not in the hall of worship. Ee- 
member, the church is the house of God. 



ETIQUETTE OF AMUSEMENTS. 53 

Should you see a stranger standing in the aisle, unnoticed 
by the sexton or usher, quietly invite him into your pew. 

You should see that a stranger in your pew is provided 
with the books necessary to enable him to join in the service. 
If he does not know how to use them, assist him as quietly 
as possible. Where there are not books enough for the 
separate use of each person, you may share yours with an 
occupant of your pew. 

The outward forms of a church of a different denomina- 
tion than your own should always be observed. It involves 
no lack of principle, but rather of good breeding, to fail to 
do this, and this is especially the case when a Protestant 
attends a Eoman Catholic church. The church is God's, 
whatever the denomination, and your reverence is due to 
Him. 

Etiquette of Amusements. 

A gentleman desiring a lady to accompany him to a place 
of amusement or a concert, opera or theatre, should send 
her a written invitation not later than the day previous to 
the entertainment, written in the third person, on the best 
quality of white note paper, with enveloi^es to match. The 
reply should be seat at once, so that if the lady is unable to 
attend there may be time for an invitation to be given 
another lady. 

Should the lady accept the invitation, the gentleman 
must secure the best seats within his means. Should the 
demand for seats be so great that you cannot secure them, 
inform her at once and propose another occasion when you 
can make this provision for her comfort 

In entering the hall in which the entertainment is given, 
a gentleman should walk by the side of the lady until the 
seat is reached. If the width of the aisle is not sufficient to 



54 OUB E0ME8 AND IHEIB ADORNMENTS. 

allow this, lie should precede her. As a rule, he should take 
the outer seat ; but if that is the best for seeing or hearing, 
it belongs to the lady. 

It is rude to whisper or talk during a performance. It 
annoys the audience around you, and may disconcert the 
people furnishing the entertainment. To seek to draw atten- 
tion to yourself in any way is vulgar, and it is especial bad 
taste for lovers to indulge in affectionate demonstrations at 
such places. 

Applause should be given liberally, but with the hands, 
and not the feet. 

A gentleman who can afford it should provide a carriage 
on such occasions, but if his means do not permit this he is 
not expected to do so. 

Etiquette of Picnics. 

Send out your invitations to a picnic at least two weeks 
in advance. Let them be either verbal or in writing. The 
latter is the better plan. 

Select a convenient and attractive place for the enter- 
tainment. If possible, let it be near a spring or running 
stream. 

Provide an abundance of refreshments — both eatables 
and drinks. Do nothing in a niggardly manner, and pro- 
vide for an extra number of guests, as you may add to your 
list at the last moment, or some friend may unexpectedly 
join you. 

Provide transportation for your guests to the appointed 
place. It is better and merrier that all should meet at some 
designated place, such as your house, the railroad depot, 
the steamboat landing, and proceed in a body to the place. 

Should the excursion be made in carriages, let them be 
covered, as rain must be guarded against. A long, roomy 



COUETSHIF AND MABBIAGE. 55 

omnibus is one of the best conveyances, as it keeps the 
party together. 

The ladies and gentlemen should dress in light, inexpen- 
sive costumes, and the whole affair should be as free from 
restraint as is consistent with good breeding. 

Courtship and Marriage. 

A professor in one of our foremost colleges begins one ot 
his lectures on marriage in the following manner: " Young 
gentlemen, I say it with all reverence, next to the tie that 
binds man to his maker, the most solemn and the most 
important is that which joins husband and wife." Such 
words, seriously spoken by a man of mature years and large 
experience, should carry great weight with them, and if our 
young men and young women could think of the marriage 
tie in this way, we should have fewer unhappy marriages, 
and the disgraceful multitude of our easy divorces would 
be much diminished. 

It is, of course, impossible to lay down any specific rules 
for selections, but it will be useful to attend to a few gene- 
ral principles. 

Marry in your own position in life. If there is any differ- 
ence in social position, it is better that the husband should 
be the superior. A woman does not like to look down upon 
her husband, and to be obliged to do so is a poor guarantee 
for their happiness. It is best to marry persons of your own 
faith and religious convictions, unless one is willing to 
adopt those of the other. Difference of faith is apt to divide 
families, and to produce great trouble in after life. A pious 
woman should beware of marrying an irreligious man. 
Sickly persons should not marry persons similarily afflicted. 
A healthy girl, as a rule, should not marry a man in bad 
health. Besides burdening herself with the care of an inva- 



56 OTJB SOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

lid, she is apt to be left a widow at any time. A wife can- 
not bring a greater fortune to her husband than good, 
robust health ; and so with the husband. Therefore choose 
wisely in this respect. 

The matter of courtship is one which each must settle 
for himself. No specific rules can be laid down. The tem- 
perament, disposition and circumstances vary so much that 
each one must follow his own bent. But one fact should be 
regarded as settled. Long engagements are not advisable. 
When once the mind is made up, and the lady consents, 
then prepare at once for marriage. The couple must be 
fully satisfied in their own minds that they are meant for 
each other, and after they are " sure they are right, then go 
ahead." 

The Mareiage Ceremony. 

In this country any hour in the day may be selected for 
the marriage ceremony, and it may take place at home or 
in church. 

Marriage by a magistrate is lawful, but most persons pre- 
fer to be married by a clergyman, and in church. The 
bridegroom must send a carriage at his own expense for the 
officiating clergyman and his family. The bride's parents 
provide the carriages for themselves and the bride. Either 
the bridegroom or the groomsmen may bear the cost of the 
carriages for the bridesmaids and groomsmen. 

If the wedding is in church, ushers, selected by the 
friends of the bride and groom, should be appointed to show 
the guests to seats. The front pews in the church should be 
reserved for the families and especial friends of the happy 
pair. The clergyman is expected to be at his place within 
the chancel rail at the appointed hour. 

Upon the arrival of the bridal party, the ushers will meet 
them in a body at the door, and precede them up the prin- 



TRE MABBIAGE CEREMONY. 57 

cipal aisle of the church. Upon reaching the altar they will 
separate to the right and left, and take their places in the 
rear of the bridal party. 

Upon the entrance of the bridal party within the doors 
of the church, the organist will play a " Wedding March," 
and as they take their places at the altar will change this to 
some sweet and apropriate melody, which he should con- 
tinue throughout the service. As the bridal party leave the 
church, the music should be loud and jubilant. 

The bridal party should form in the vestibule of the 
church. The first groomsman gives his arm to the principal 
bridesmaid, and these are followed by the others in their 
proper order. Then comes the bridegroom with the mother 
of the bride on his arm ; and last of all the bride, leaning 
upon her father's arm. At the altar the bride takes her 
place at the left of the groom ; her father stands a little in 
advance of the rest, behind the couple; her* mother just in 
the rear of her father. The bridesmaids group themselves 
on the left of the bride ; the groomsmen on the right of the 
bridegroom, all in the rear of the principals. 

Where a ring is used, the first bridesmaid removes the glove 
of the bride. The responses of the bride and groom should 
be given clearly and distinctly, but not in too loud a tone. 

Upon the return of the bridal party from the church, 
they are ushered into the drawing-room, and there hold a 
brief reception of their friends who have been invited to the 
wedding, and who now desire to offer their congratulations. 

The receptions last from half an hour to an hour. A 
breakfast or supper usually follows, which is served in as 
elaborate a style as the means of the bride's parents will 
permit. Should the circumstances of the case compel the 
bride to be married, in traveling-dress, the ceremonies will 
be as simple as possible. The newly married couple in such 



58 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMEXTS. 

cases generally repair from the church to the depot or 
steamer and start upon the bridal tour. 

Only the bridegroom is congratulated at a wedding. He 
is supposed to have won the prize. You offer your good 
wishes to the bride for her future happiness. 

Miscellaneous Laws oe Etiquette. 

In all your associations, keep constantly in view the 
adage, " too much freedom breeds contempt." 

Never be guilty of practical jokes ; if you accustom your- 
self to them, it is probable you will become so habituated 
as to commit them upon persons who will not allow of such 
liberties: We have known a duel to arise from a slap on the 
back. 

Always suspect the advances of any person who may 
wish for your acquaintance, and who has had no introduc- 
tion : circumstances may qualify this remark, but as a gen- 
eral principle, acquaintances made in a public room or 
place of amusement are not desirable. 

Never converse while a person is singing ; it is an insult 
not only to the singer, but to the whole company. 

If, in a public promenade, you pass and repass persons 
of 3'^our acquaintance, it is only necessary to salute them on 
the first occasion. 

Let presents to a young lady be characterized by taste — 
not remarkable for intrinsic value. 

Except under very decided circumstances, it is both 
ungentlemanly and dangerous to cut a person : if you wish 
to rid yourself of any one's society, a cold bow in the street, 
and particular ceremony in the circles of yoiir mutual 
acquaintance, is the best mode of conduct to adopt. 

Never introduce your own affairs for the amusement of 
the company ; it shows a sad amount of mental cultivation, 



MISGELLAl^EOm. 59 

or excessive weakness of intellect : recollect, also, that such 
a discussion cannot be interesting to others, and that the 
probability is that the most patient listener is a complete 
gossip, laying the foundation for some tale to make you 
appear ridiculous. 

When you meet a gentleman with whom you are 
acquainted, you bow, raising your hat slightly with the 
left hand, which leaves your right at liberty to shake hands 
if you stop. If the gentleman is ungloved, you must take 
off yours, not otherwise. 

Meeting a lady, the rule is that she should make the first 
salute, or at least indicate by her manner that she recognizes 
you. Your bow must be lower, and your hat carried further 
from your head ; but you never offer to shake hands ; that 
is her privilege. 

The right, being the post of honor, is given to superiors 
and ladies, except in the street, when they take the wall, as 
farthest from danger from passing carriages, in walking 
with or meeting them. 

In walking with a lady, you are not bound to recognize 
gentlemen with whom she is not acquainted, nor have 
they, in such a case, any right to salute, much less to speak 
to you. 

Whenever or wherever you stand, to converse with a 
lady, or while handing her into or out of a carriage, keep 
your hat in your hand. 

Don't sing, hum, whistle, or talk to yourself, in walking. 
Endeavor, besides being well dressed, to have a calm, good- 
natured countenance. A scowl always begets wrinkles. It 
is best not to smoke at all in public, but none but a ruffian 
in grain will inflict upon society the odor of a bad cigar, or 
that of any kind on ladies. 

Ladies are not allowed, upon ordinary occasions, to take 
the arm of any one but a relative or accepted lover in that 



€0 OUB HOMES AND TEJEIE AD0BNMENT8. 

street and in the daytime ; in the evening — in the fields, or 
in a crowd, wherever she may need protection — she should 
not refuse it. 

Never scratch your head, pick your teeth, clean your 
nails, or, worse than all, pick your nose in company ; all 
these things are disgusting Spit as little as possible, and 
never upon the floor. 

Do not lounge on sofas, nor tip back your chair, nor 
elevate your feet. 

If you can sing or play, do so at once when requested, 
without requiring to be pressed, or make a fuss. On the 
other hand, let your performance be brief, or, if ever so good, 
it will be tiresome When a lady sits down to the piano- 
forte, some gentleman should attend her, arrange the music- 
stool, and turn over the leaves. 

ISTever tattle, nor repeat in one society any scandal or 
personal matter you hear in another. Give your own opin- 
ion of people, if you please, but never repeat that of others. 

Meeting an acquaintance among strangers, in the street 
or a coffee-house, never address him by name. It is vulgar 
and annoying. 

Spitting is a filthy habit, and annoys one in almost every 
quarter, in-doors and out. Since vulgarity has had its way 
so extensively amongst us, every youth begins to smoke and 
spit before he has well cut his teeth. Smoking is unques- 
tionably so great a pleasure to those accustomed to it, that 
it must not be condemned, yet the spitting associated with it 
detracts very much from the enjoyment. No refined person 
will spit where ladies are present. 




Fig. 27. 



HESS, Architect. 



mt^ 




RECTIN&, 



1^)1(5^ 



(^ll 



i 



lOMES.^ 



When we mean to build, 
We first survey the plot, then draw the model; 
And when we see the figure of the house, 
Then must we rate the cost of construction : 
Which, if we find outweighs ability, 
What do we then, but draw anew the model 
In fewer offices ; or at least, desist 
To build at all. 

— ^KiNG Henkt IV., Pakt II, Act I, Scene 3. 



62 



mMA-^mMM 'WM. 



GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. — IDEAL HOMES. — RENTING AND 
PURCHASING. — CONTRACTING THE WORK. 




iX«o 



OME. — This word to most of us possesses deep 
significance. With what reverence do we look 
back to the home of our childhood, now em- 
balmed in memory as our heart's dearest treas- 
ure ! Not a home, do we mean, surrounded with 
all the luxuries of life, but one, even though 
humble, where there was "plenty and to spare." 
The old home, with father and mother and its 
stores of plenty, did not quite content us; we 
felt a spirit of unrest taking possession of us. 
Then we were unable to appreciate our blessings 
as we do now, looking back to them in the light of a riper 
experience. Points and objects that failed to attract us 
then, are now so many shrines at which we do homage, 
and as we achieve success or meet failure, our minds revert 
to the old home with its precious memories. 

Our ideal home is not like the home of our youth; it 
is one that is to meet the wants, as far as our means will 
allow, of our own households, enabling us to enjoy that com- 

63 



64 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

fort and independence that can never be appreciated by 
those whose thought is of to-day, and who let the morrow 
care for itself. 

To our mind there is nothing more ennobliug than the 
united efforts of young married people directed to the 
acquisition of a home. They may be, as the majority are, 
possessed of limited means; but good health, temperate 
habits, and frugal saving of earnings, though small, will 
enable them to purchase or build a cottage and adorn it. 
There, when the cares of the day are over, beneath their 
"own vine and fig-tree," they can recount the successes of 
the past, and plan for the future. 

The work done by our own hands, and the money our 
own sweat has earned, are to us a source of peculiar pride 
and satisfaction. So a home, earned by the concerted efibrts 
of husband and wife, will possess a charm far greater than 
if they come in possession of it by heirship. More precious 
because of its association with their struggles with necessity. 

The great trouble is that the young people of to-day are 
not willing to commence so far down the scale; they cannot 
be content with such an humble beginning as their parents 
made; and instead of commencing a home soon after mar- 
riage, they rent and furnish a house in extravagant style, 
often spending enough in furnishing to pay for a home of 
comfortable size. All this, we remark, is done with the 
plea of economy. They promise to build when they have^ 
means enough. We who have traveled the path so often, 
can see their mistake. A false pride has prevented them 
from accepting humbler quarters, from whence in a few 
years they might have gone out to wealth and even 
opulence. 



RENTING AND PURCHASING. t)5 

How many instances have we met of those who have 
rented and fitted up the house of a close landlord, hoping 
at no distant day to be able to pay for a home of their own ; 
but month after month, and year after year, the rent bill 
absorbs the savings, until they have paid out as much as 
would be required either to pay for a house, or secure one 
in such a manner as to be gradually brought into their full 
possession by frugal savings and payments. 

In our opening chapter we cannot forbear offering a 
word of encouragement to persons of small means seeking 
homes, for we know well, from actual experience, what 
small earnings, carefully saved and judiciously expended, 
will do in this direction. 

One need not have too much fear in incurring a safe 
amount of debt on a home when there is a constant saving 
going on, and a gradual reduction of the principal can be 
made. We wish, however, to caution all against one 
serious mistake, — many times the plan of the house and 
cost of the same are not definite enough, and the home that 
was intended, under no circumstances, to exceed in cost the 
sum of fifteen hundred dollars, is found very incomplete 
when that amount has been expended, and it is found, when 
too late, that the cost will be fully two thousand dollars. 

It is then found that the loan, which could have been 
secured on the premises for the first amount named, at a 
low rate of interest with easy terms of payment, will be 
hard to obtain for the larger amount ; and should the loan 
be secured for this last amount, it will necessarily be at a 
higher rate of interest; hence the risk of paying off the debt 
is greater. 

Misfortune, duU business, or sickness, may curtail the 



66 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

earnings, and the result will be inability to meet payments 
of interest and on principal, and the ghost of foreclosure of 
mortgage haunts the homestead. After a struggle, perhaps 
of many years, the unfortunate owner is obliged to give up, 
and with wife and family seek more humble quarters with 
monthly rental. 

We present this picture to place all of small means on 
their guard. Be sure not to build too large; know what 
the cost to complete the home will be before commencing. 
It is better to live in a rented house than to go through the 
anxiety, annoyance, trouble, and disappointment of almost 
paying for a home and then seeing it taken from you, your 
labor lost, and your earnings swept away. 

This state of affairs need not occur, except in rare 
instances, if anything like a reasonable amount of fore- 
thought and good judgment is exercised. The usual way, 
and the best way, for people of only moderate means to 
build anything of much cost, and be sure of a knowledge of 
the sum total when completed, is to contract the work for a 
given sum; and if for a house of not much pretension, the 
better way is to have a plan, if possible, from some architect 
of known ability and of a good reputation. He can em- 
body in his plan even every little thing about a house, from 
a sliding door down to a set of drawers in the kitchen 
pantry, or cleats and shelves in the closets, thus obviating 
the risk of the builder's never-failing desire to run up a 
heavy bill of " extras " on the completion of the job, as too 
many of them try to make it larger than it should be for 
the amount of work done. 

In the larger cities and towns where the services of a 
good architect can be had, it is always advisable to employ 



CONTRACTING TRE WORK. 67 

one, at least to do the planning and preparing of the contract 
and specifications for letting the work, if not for superin- 
tending. A good set of plans and specifications, carefully- 
executed, can be followed even by a man comparatively un- 
accustomed to such things, with sufficient precision to dis- 
cover any great variation the contractor might try to make 
in the building. But for buildings of much pretension there 
is no better evidence of the benefits of a good plan and super- 
intendency of the work from day to day as it progresses, 
by a competent architect, than the fact that in large cities 
there are men known as " building speculators," who do not 
build without definite plans and usually superintendents. 
But for the majority who will read this book, and whom we 
hope in a measure to assist, in the smaller cities and towns, 
'villages and country homes, it is not always easy to get the 
professional assistance required, and for their benefit we 
wish to ofier a few suggestions, before proceeding to the dis- 
cussion of other matters and the description of the accom- 
panying plates. 




mMM.^mj^:m. 'WMM^ 



ORNAMENTATION. — APPEARANCE OF A HOUSE. — SECRET OF 
ATTRACTIVE BUILDINGS. — THE PLACE TO PUT ORNA- 
MENTS, — LITTLE EXPENSE WITH GOOD RESULTS. — THE 
FRONT ENTRANCE. — PORTICO. — CORNICE.— GABLE. 




3j«iO 



HE exterior of a house built of wood can, at a 
small cost over what the difference would be for 
a plain one, be made attractive and even beauti- 
ful in outline and effect; it should, however, be 
borne in mind that the requirements to produce 
a fine artistic effect, are not, by any means, in 
the amount of ornamentation put on, but in the 
kind and in the adaptability of the ornaments of 
the building. In other words, what is put on 
for the purpose of ornamenting should be in the 
right place, and look as if it belonged and had a 
purpose there. Many times this is overdone, and the 
building when completed looks more like a thing constructed 
upon which to nail tawdry or illy-designed ornaments, than 
a harmonious whole, with each part blending with the 
other, and making an object that will attract attention, 
and challenge admiration, and upon which the eye lingers 
68 



WHERE TO PUT OBNAMENTS. 09 

spell-bound, while the effect on the memory is of something 
beautiful. 

All this is very simple of explanation. Sometimes 
we look upon a house that has this attraction for us, and 
when we come to think over the amount of ornamenting 
done and the cost of the same, we are almost astonished 
that so little could attract attention; but it is simply the 
arrangement of the design of the building that produces this 
effect. 

The front entrance, the portico, and the entrance 
doors should, we think, be the place to show the most taste 
in ornamentation. This is the point that must command 
the most marked attention. Let the outline be easy and 
graceful, the steps broad, and, where there is plenty of room 
and the expense can be borne, curve out in an easy manner. 
Nothing helps to make an inviting entrance like broad, 
easy steps. 

The front doors, we think, should be a model of outline, 
and the ornamentation in good taste. This can be done 
without much, if any, carvings. We think that most of 
the costly doors often seen, covered with carved ornaments, 
are anything but beautiful, and they often look burdened 
with unmeaning intricacies of the gouge and chisel, where 
something else, in rich design of form and outline, would 
have been far more attractive. 

The portico, again, an important feature so commonly 
used now on city and town houses, possesses the same 
characteristics, that is, the same amount of work looks 
either good or bad according to the taste and skill displayed 
in the forms of finish, the dimensions of outlines, caps, etc. 
A column too large in proportion, may spoil the good effect 



70 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

of an othervfise fine portico; and the same thoughtfulneas 
must govern the entire work. 

The windows, the frames, caps, and sills must, when 
completed, form an outline that is easy and symmetrical, 
whatever the design may be. For instance, a window 
with a neat cap, and the sill cut short off, with nothing to 
reUeve it on the side, or any corbel under the sill, looks 
ungraceful. It matters not how fine a cap it may have, 
there will be something lacking. 

Cornices and gables, again, are open to the same crit- 
icism. A cornice may be too broad for the building, or the 
roof too steep for the width of cornice, either of which pro- 
duces a strange efiect upon the buUding. The gable can be 
ornamented in a multitude of ways that are most pleasing 
to the eye, or the vagaries of the jig and band saw may 
cumber it down with trash that is most repulsive to 
look upon. 

We have briefly touched upon these points, endeavoring 
to show where beauty in the exterior of our houses may be 
had, and that, too, in many cases without increasing the 
cost, if we only use good taste, skill, and fair judgment in 
the designs. 




Craptrr ^fll. 



VALUABLE SUGGESTIONS AND RULES. — METHODS OF ESTIMAT- 
ING WORK AND MATERIAL. — HOW TO FIND THE 
AMOUNT OF LUMBER NECESSARY TO ERECT A GIVEN 
BUILDING. — PRICES OF LABOR. 




o»ic 



XCAYATING CELLARS.— This is estimated by 
the cord of 128 cubic feet, by the square foot, or 
square yard. One to two dollars per cord is 
usually paid, according to hardness of the subsoil. 
Drains, — So much per lineal foot, according 
to depth and hardness of subsoil. Pipes for 
drains cost in proportion to their size. 

Stone-work for foundations, — Usually 16| 

cubic feet, estimated at so much per perch, laid 

in the wall, and costs according to kind and 

quality of stone. 

Brick-work — Is figured by number of cubic feet in the 

wall, 22 common brick to the foot. Prices for laying up, 

the wall vary with cost of labor. 

Plastering. — This is estimated by the square yard, — for 
three-coat work, twenty-five cents; and two-coat work, 
twenty cents per square foot, including mortar. Stucco or 
plaster cornice work, from thirty cents up, per lineal foot. 

71 



72 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

For center-pieces of stucco, the cost is two dollars and 
upward. 

Carpenter-work. — For framing, compute the number of 
feet of board measure in frame, and to the cost of this add 
eight dollars per thousand feet for ordinary framing. For 
brick walls, allow five dollars per thousand feet for labor; for 
common boarding of walls, roofs, and rough floors, add to the 
cost of boards four dollars per thousand feet for labor; for 
shingles, one dollar and fifty cents per thousand for laying. 

Cornicing — Must be estimated at so much per lineal foot, 
and costs according to the amount of work. 

Windows — Are reckoned by the piece, considering finish 
inside and out, all complete save the glazing. 

Doors. — Double doors for entrance, if of pine, are twelve 
dollars per pair upward, according to style, — walnut, from 
thirty dollars upward; common doors, from six dollars up- 
ward; inside sliding doors, from twenty dollars per pair, 
upward, according to finish. 

Floors, — Laid, add one dollar to cost of every ten square 
feet of lumber. For base, the cost is so much per lineal foot 
for lumber, and three dollars per hundred feet put down; 
wainscoting, so much per square foot. 

Staircases. — Common, straight, cylinder staircases, 
with curved. rail, and casings at all angles of stringers, and 
common newel posts and turned banisters, cost about forty- 
five dollars; winding stairs, ninety dollars; and so on, the 
cost varying with the amount of work. 

Bay-windows, — One story, forty-five dollars ; two stories, 
eighty -five dollars. 

Clapboardin^ or weather-hoarding. — For this work, 
add to cost of lumber ten dollars per thousand feet, but if 
much fitting is required this amount will not be enough. 



METHODS OF ESTIMATING WORK. 73 

Painting — Is computed at so much a square yard ; and 
for glazing, take the size and consult some good dealer or a 
good price list. 

Cresting — Costs so much per lineal foot. 

Hardware and 'plumbing — Cost according to the 
quality of material and the amount of work. 

In the foregoing estimate the prices quoted are perhaps 
an average ; in the country the cost will usually be less. 

Measuring. 

A foot of lumber is a piece 12 inches square and 1 inch 
thick; a board 12 inches wide, 1 inch thick, and 10 feet long 
contains 10 feet of lumber. 

To measure hoards, — Multiply the length in feet by the 
width in inches, and divide by 12; the result is the number 
of feet in the board if 1 inch thick; if 1^ inches thick, add 
^; if 1| inch thick, add |^; if 2 inches thick, the board will 
contain twice as many feet, and so on. 

To measure a pile of lumber. — If the boards are of 
equal length and width, multiply the feet in one board by 
the number of boards. If the boards are of equal length, 
but vary in width, measure each board with a tape-line, 
drawing it out as each board is measured ; and when the pile 
is completed, examine the tape-line, find how many feet you 
have measured off, and multiply this by the length, in feet, 
of one board. If the boards vary in length, they must be 
measured separately, or averaged. 

To find number of feet in studding, etc. — Multiply 
length and breadth in inches by length in feet, and divide 
the. product by 12. The result will be number of feet in the 
stick. 



74 OUR HOMES AND THEIR JiDORNMENTS. 

To find how many feet of luTriber a log will make. — 
Take the average diameter in inches and subtract 4, square 
one-fourth of the remainder, and multiply by the length of 
the log in feet. The result will be the correct number of feet 
that the log will make. 

Amount of lumber for a given building. — By apply- 
ing the foregoing rules, any one may find the number of feet 
of lumber required for a given building. Begin with sills, 
and calculate for each kind of lumber separately, adding the 
results. For clapboarding, add one-third for lapping; for 
matched flooring, add one-fifth for waste. 

Shingles. — The number of shingles required for a roof 
is usually estimated at one thousand for every square, or one 
hundred square feet; hence, find the square feet in the roof 
and divide by one hundred, — result is the number of thou- 
sand shingles. This estimate is ample, and with good shin- 
gles 1000 should lay 125 to 140 feet. 

Or, find the area in inches, multiply the width of a 
shingle by the length exposed to the weather, and divide the 
area by the product. This gives the number of shingles, 
but there must be allowance made for waste. Shingles are 
laid from three to six inches to the weather, according to 
length, and they vary in width, four inches being the 
average width. 

For clapboarding, — Add one-third to the number of 
surface feet to be covered, for boards, 6 inches wide, laid 4| 
inches to the weather. 

For flooring, — add one-fifth to the surface feet,- for 
matching. 

: In plastering^lt is customary to compute the whole 
area and deduct one-half the area of doors and windows, biit 
in some places no deduction is made. 



CxHi^F^^TB.]^ IX. 



HOUSE PAINTING. ^ 



ITS PHILOSOPHY. — BEST TIME TO PAINT. — KINDS OF 
PAINT. — COLORS. — MIXING. — OILS AND DRIERS. — APPLY- 
ING PAINTS. — PRIMING. — SECOND COAT. — FINISHING 
COAT. — BRUSHES. — GENERAL SUGGESTIONS. 




oj»:o 



AINT, composed of a mixture of oil and mineral, 
generally white lead, and applied to wood, iron, 
and even stone, acts as a preserver by shielding 
the surface from the action of rain and the 
atmosphere. 

A building left unpainted any length of time, 
absorbs moisture quickly; and besides rendering 
the rooms u:nhealthful, by reason of moisture, it 
decays very rapidly. 

The best time to apply paint is in the spring 
or autumn. Cool weather, if dry, is better, as 
the paint hardens naturally and presents a firmer surf ace to 
the' action of the elements. In summer, when exposed to 
the sun, the oil in the paint soaks into the wood and leaves 
the lead to crumble and wear off quickly ; yet if care is taken 
to apply the paint at proper hours, the action of the sun will 
affect it but little. 

75 



76 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

Kinds of Paint. 

Pure white lead is the base or body of all durable 
paints, and is vastly superior to all others for first coats. 
Owing to the fact, however, that it is prepared by an acid 
process, it is not so good in a pure state for outside coats, as 
it is in many cases not thoroughly washed and contains 
more or less acid, and when so exposed to sun and rain the 
presence of the acid is liable to make it powder and rub oflf 
like whitewash. 

Zinc, which is prepared by fire process (oxidized), con- 
tains no acid or other injurious substance; and when mixed 
with white lead, it forms the best outside coats, the zinc 
neutralizing the acid in the lead and giving additional firm- 
ness to the body. 

The mineral paints contain iron as their base, and are 
mixed with oU and prepared for use as lead and zinc. 
Many manufacturers now put up paint in cans, ready for 
use, and there is abundant room for deception. Consumers 
should beware and purchase of reliable dealers. 

COLOKS. 

Which color should be used in painting a house, is 
purely a matter of taste. The surroundings determine this 
to a great degree. A house surrounded with heavy foliage 
would require a lighter tint than one standing in an open 
space. Every house should have two or more tints; the 
cornice and verandas should be of a contrasting shade with 
the body of the house, while the shutters, etc., should have a 
darker tint than either. Of the various colors, the olive tints 
in their difierent shades are very pleasing to the eye, also 



HOUSE PAINTING. 77 

lavender, drabs, stone, etc. A pea-green is a very healthful 
color, and with proper contrasts in. veranda and shutters is 
very pleasing. 

Mixing Colors. 

An endless variety of colors and tints can be produced 
by mixing. The following are only a few of them, — such 
as may be serviceable: — 

Stone Color. — White lead and a little black. 

Drab. — White lead with burnt umber and a little yellow 
ochre for a warm tint ; raw umber and a little black for a 
green tint. 

Sky-blue. — White lead with Prussian blue. 

Buff. — White lead with yellow ochre. 

Cream-color. — Add more white to the buff. 

Olive-green. — Raw umber with Prussian blue, thinned 
with boiled oil and turpentine. 

Pea-green. — White lead with Prussian blue and chrome- 
yellow. 

Lead Color. — White lead and black. 

Oils and Driers. 

Oils and turpentine should be pure and free from dust 
and other substances. 

To assist the process of drying paints, driers are used. 
Those most in use are sugar of lead, litharge, and white 
copperas. When ground and mixed with paint, they assist 
the process of drying very much. Where it does not affect 
the color, red lead may be used as a drier. 

Boiled linseed oil with litharge, one gallon of the 
former with one-fourth pound of the latter reduced to a 
powder, makes an excellent drier. It should here be 



78 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

remarked that driers have a tendency to injure the colors, 
and hence should not be used in finishing coats. 

Applying Paints. 

Before applying paint, the surface to be painted should 
be carefully cleaned, and all projections of glue, putty, and 
whiting removed with knife and duster. 

Knots should be killed by the application of knotting, 
which is made with red lead, carefully ground and thinned 
with boiled oil ; another and better plan is to apply a varnish 
of shellac. 

If knots are neglected, they give out turpentine and 
destroy the paint. Shellac is a gum, in natural state, and 
can be dissolved in alcohol in the proportion of three pounds 
of gum to one gallon of spirits ; twenty -four hours is suflfi- 
cient time to dissolve it, when it is known as shellac varnish, 
and by adding proper coloring matter, it forms an excellent 
varnish for many purposes. Paint should never be applied 
to damp or wet surfaces, as it is sure to peel off. 

Priming. 
After the knotting is complete, the priming, or first coat, 
should be applied. This coat should be composed chiefly of 
white lead, mixed with a very small quantity of red lead, 
and should be about the thickness of milk. Eight to twelve 
gallons of oil to every one hundred pounds of lead, is about 
the proportion ; and one pound should cover fifteen to twenty 
square yards. It is not necessary that this first or priming 
coat should be of the color intended for finishing, as the 
later coats will secure the desired tint. In some cases a 
second priming coat, thinner than the first, is laid on, in 
which case two coats more will make an extra good job of 
painting. 



HOUSE FAINTING. 79 

After the priming coat is quite dry, all nail-holes, cracks, 
and other defects should be filled with putty, smoothing all 
rough places with fine sand-paper. In priming old walls, 
remove dirt and decayed wood with sand-paper and pumice- 
stone ; shellac sizing may also be applied if the wood is some- 
what porous, and more red lead used than on first coat for 
new work. 

If brick buildings are to be painted, the priming coat 
should be native minerals, such as ochres, Venetian red, or 
iron, with a proper amount of raw linseed oil, as these will 
adhere more permanently and make a good foundation for 
future coats. 

Second Coat. 

This coat is a color coat, and the tint, if paint is not 
already prepared with desired color, can be made from the 
directions previously given for mixing colors. This coat 
should be a shade darker than the finishing coat. 

The paint for this coat should be moderately thick; if 
applied in cold weather or under unfavorable circumstances, 
the quantity of driers must be increased. If the work is to 
be left shining, this coat should be thinned almost entirely 
with linseed-oil, in which case no driers will be needed. 

Finishing Coat. 

If the work is to be glossy when finished, use more oil 
than turpentine and no driers; but if the work is not to be 
glossy, — -fiat,. — use turpentine for thinning. Care should be 
taken to bring this coat to the desired tint, and it should be 
laid on j ust as soon as the former coat is diy enough to work 
over. This coat should be of same consistency of the pre- 
ceding, and laid on with the utmost care. 



80 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

Bkushes. 

Brushes are made of all si2;es, both round and flat, and 
are chiefly of bristles; the best for outside work are 
called wall-brushes, from three to five inches in width. For 
inside and small work the round brush is best. When out 
of use, brushes should be carefully washed in turpentine and 
laid out of the reach of dust. When using, they should be 
left over night immersed in linseed oil or turpentine. 

Varnish brushes should be washed in turpentine, and 
should they be left full of varnish and dry they may be 
cleaned by soaking in alcohol for twenty-four to thirty-six 
hours. Where it is practicable, a separate brush should be 
used in different colors ; especially is this true where delicate 
tints are used. 

General Suggestions on Outside Painting. 

Posts and pillars may be made to represent stone, by the 
following process: Procure a hand bellows, mash the nozzle 
down flat; into the nozzle, two inches from end, solder a 
small funnel, and before the finishing coat of paint dries, 
throw white sand by means of the funnel and bellows 
against the pillar. The sand will adhere, and when dry, 
the work resembles stone very closely. By procuring col- 
ored sand, pleasing combinations can be made. 

For barns and other out-houses, the best paints are those 
which contain iron as a base, as the boards are usually 
rough and this class of paints generally protects such sur- 
faces as well or better than the finer paints, besides being 
cheaper. Brushes should be heavy, as they wear very rap- 
idly. In this class of work, a variety of colors costs no more, 
and adds greatly to the appearance of the work. 



HOUSE PAINTING. 81 

Inside Painting. 

Hard woods, as walnut, ash, and oak, look quite well in 
oil-finish, which is always popular, and preserves the wood 
quite well. The wood should be well filled with a mixture 
of gilder's whiting, or corn-starch and boiled linseed oil to 
the consistency of cream, applied with a brush; after stand- 
ing a little while, the work should be thoroughly wiped off 
with woolen rags. 

After standing a week, or till well dried, the work 
should be well sand-papered with No. J sand-paper or hair- 
cloth, when another coat should be applied and rubbed off 
as before. When dry, the work is ready for the finishing 
or gloss coat, which consists of boiled oil, applied with a soft 
brush, and if a dead gloss is wanted, this coat should be 
rubbed with soft woolen rags. If high gloss is desired, omit 
the rubbing and repeat the coat. Coach varnish will give 
a high gloss, but it is liable to damage from scratches. 

Plastered walls may be painted any desirable tint by ob- 
serving the foregoing directions; it may be well to observe 
that plaster soaks up more paint than wood, and hence re- 
quires more coats after the first coat. It is weU to give the 
work a light glue size before applying the next coat, as it 
will give a much more even gloss. 

Oil and Shellac Finish. 

A very cheap and at the same time a popular method of 
finishing inside wood- work, is to apply one coat of boiled oil, 
and when dry, apply a finishing coat of varnish and oil 
mixed, or shellac varnish alone. The natural grain of the 
wood is preserved, and it can be kept clean easily; the wood 
when thus finished is a shade darker than its natural color. 

Another plan is to apply two coats of varnish, without 
the oil, leaving the wood very glossy, but liable to scratch 
easily. If ever desirable afterward, the wood can be painted 
as usual. 



82 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

Graining. 

Graining is a tedious but not too difficult busiaess for 
a person of ordinary intelligence to attempt with a fair 
degree of success. In the outset, a clear idea of the wood to 
be represented, should be in mind. A good plan, where the 
commoner woods are to be represented, is to procure a 
board having one or more sound knots and plane it off, and 
with this for a model, proceed to grain the job in hand. 

Before the graining properly commences, the work 
should be made very smooth with sand-paper and putty, 
and one or more priming coats of white lead should be laid 
on and allowed to dry; the work is then ready for ground 
coat. 

The Tools. 

These are few and comparatively inexpensive, — besides the 
brushes necessary for applying the color, steel combs, coarse 
and fine, and soft, cotton rags. 

The brushes and combs can be found at any store where 
paints are sold. Formerly a leather comb was used, and 
may be desirable; if so, any one can make it, using stiff 
leather. 

The Ground. 

This is the base of the graining, and should be as near 
the color of the wood as possible, care being taken not to get 
it too dark. 

The ground for maple, ash, and oak is about the same, 
a light cream for the maple and a shade darker for the oak 
and ash; walnut ground is of a deep copper color. 



HOUSE PAINTING. 83 

The Graining Color, 

or the color which shows the veins and growth of the wood, 
is the most important, as the dehcate lines of the wood are to 
"be traced in it. When the ground has been laid on and is 
quite dry, this graining coat is laid on, and while yet moist, 
the tracings of the peculiarities of the wood are made. 

Before proceeding to give specific instructions, it may be 
well to note a few general suggestions on the figuring of 
woods. 

Knots should have a dark center with a succession of 
very irregular circles, which on the outer edge become 
elongated till they merge into the sap of the timber length- 
wise. 

The sap, which in the natural wood is the smooth, 
shining part of the board, is made by wiping off the grain- 
ing coat with a cotton rag drawn over the thumb, the nail 
of which is made to outline the sap, whUe by means of the 
fleshy part the broader lights of sap may be wiped out, 
observing to move the rag with every stroke to present a 
clean surface for the next. After having wiped the figures, 
they should be retouched with a small roll of clean rag. 

Veining or Combing. 

Take a coarse steel or leather comb and draw it down 
lengthwise of the wood, and go over the same with a finer 
comb. Next take a fine comb and go over this work; at 
irregular intervals give the comb a quick wavy motion, 
diagonally, thus imitating the growths of the wood. In all 
cases the combing should precede the sap work. 



84 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. ■ , 

Ash Graining. 

Ground. — White lead, raw Italian sienna, or golden 
ochre instead of sienna, mixed with turpentine and oil, 
using small proportions of oil. To get the desired color, 
which should be a light straw tint, keep adding sienna to 
the lead, and try it frequently on a board. Apply with a 
brush very smoothly. Observe that this ground is the same 
also for light oak and maple. 

Graining Color. — Raw sienna, burnt umber, and white 
lead mixed with turpentine and very little oil form the grain- 
ing color. The tint is darker than the ground tint, and is 
made in the same way. The graining coat must be put on 
in small quantity so that the work may be done before it 
dries. 

To prevent the paint from running, add a small quantity 
of soft soap. Proceed with the graining as in foregoing 
instructions, and if a mistake is made, apply more paint and 
begin anew. Apply one or more coats of varnish. 

Old Oak. 

Ground. — Raw sienna, burnt umber, white lead, and 
Venetian red ; mix with equal parts of turpentine and oil to 
the desired tint. Let this dry well. 

Grain. — Vandyke brown, and raw sienna, turpentine^ 
and small amount of oil. 

Bird's-eye Maple. — Destemper. 

Ground. — White lead, yellow ochre, or same as for ash. 
Use care not to get it too dark. 

Grain. — Equal parts of raw sienna and burnt umber, 



HOUSE PAINTTNG. 85 

mixed with ale or beer. Have two paint buckets and make 
two thicknesses of paint. 

Lay on the thin coat first evenly, then with a smaller 
brush put in the darker shades. The eye is made by 
dabbiQg the color with the tips of the fingers; shade the 
eye with a little burnt sienna, using a small hair pencil. 
When dry, varnish. 

Mahogany. — 1. Vandyke brown and a little crimson 
lake ground in ale, laid on, allowed to dry, and then 
smoothed, forms the ground. Then lay on a second thicker 
coat, soften with a badger-hair brush, take out the lights 
while it is wet, and imitate the feathery appearance of 
mahogany heart. Soften, and top grain with Vandyke 
brown laid on with an over-graining brush of flat hog-hair 
combed into detached tufts. In softening, be careful not to 
disturb the under color. Or, 2. Grind burnt sienna and 
Vandyke brown in ale, lay on a coat, mottle with a camel- 
hair mottler, and soften. When dry, over-grain as above. 

For the proper varnishes to use, the reader is referred to 
that department of this work. 

It is a matter of great difficulty to prevent varnish on 
outside doors from ^ cracking; for this reason, painters 
recommend that a coat of oil be applied instead, and where 
it becomes dingy, apply more oil with a rag. This will 
avoid the cracking and preserve the graining. 

Doors of the parlor may be ebonized if the furniture and 
carpets will harmonize with it. (See Varnishes and Wood 
Dyes.) 



mMM-^WMM Wl^ 



HOW TO PLAN A HOUSE. — HINTS AS TO HOW TO PROCEED. 
— KINDS OF LUMBER TO USE. — SUGGESTIONS WORTH 
NOTING. — PAINTING. 




oJOIo 



I N the first place, we assume that a small cottage 
is to be built. The only one to apply to in the 
village is one of the two or three carpenters, 
who perhaps knows little of the real conveniences 
of life that may be introduced into the small 
cottage, or who does not seem to rise above the 
one thought that a certain number of rooms 
after some stereotyped pattern he has been 
familiar with, is all that is required. We do 
not mean to say this is always the case, for 
sometimes the carpenter exercises a good amount 
of ability in the arrangement of rooms in the small houses 
that come under his hand. 

If you cannot secure the help of a competent carpenter, 
you should commence by carefully calculating the amount 
of room 3^ou must have, examining the houses of some of 
your acquaintances, and comparing sizes and arrangement 
of rooms ; and if you can refer to some book of plates and 
86 



HOW TO FLAN A HOUSE. 87 

arrangement of space and simple forms of exterior finish, 
such as this work is intended to furnish, much assistance 
can be obtained in designing your house. 

Outline to a certain scale, if in ever so crude a form, the 
rooms, with the dimensions marked on the same, also giving 
outside measure of the whole building. 

Locate the doors and windows where they will give the 
best light and most room for the arrangement of the 
furniture, when the building is completed. How many 
times these two important things — doors and windows — 
have, for the want of a little forethought, been so arranged 
that the sunlight cannot be admitted as it should be, or in 
the position to fail to secure the ventilation that might be 
easily obtained in the summer time by open windows. 

A bed room should, if possible, have two windows; and 
if on a corner, one on each of the two sides, thereby 
securing a draft of air in the heat of the summer, which 
could not be obtained by one window, or two on the same 
side. The doors should be located as far as possible from 
the corners of rooms, and so as to come opposite the 
windows, that they too may help to secure a thorough 
ventilation in the heat of summer. 

Now from the specifications given in succeeding chapters 
can be found something bearing upon almost every point, so 
that the amateur can get up specifications and contract 
that shall quite completely cover all necessary particulars on 
a house of the kind under consideration. The elevation wUl 
have to be determined, the height of posts, and distance 
between ceiling and floor, and height of second story. This 
is meant to be a perfectly plain story- and-a-half cottage, 
devoid of much ornamentation. 



88 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

Now from the carpenters who are to figure on the work, 
you can discover any gross error you have made in your 
terms or description of things. This is supposing you do 
not have an average good carpenter to apply to for 
assistance in making the plans and specifications; but most 
carpenters are capable of studying out floor plans, and 
making out specifications in some form or other; and in case 
you want to build a house similar to the one we have been 
discussing, and you apply to a builder, he will, under your 
directions, prepare a floor arrangement and specifications, 
with the understanding that he is to compete with whoever 
else in his line you may deem it proper to call in; and 
if you do not award him the job, you are to remunerate him 
for his sketches. 

Now with the aid of what you will find in succeeding 
chapters of this work, you can carefully read over his 
specifications and compare them with those we have given, 
and see where omissions have been made by him, or descrip- 
tion of particulars left incomplete; also, where the quality 
of material is not what it should be. 

By referring to the chapter containing the estimates of 
quantities of the diflerent forms of building material, yoia 
can ascertain very nearly the diflferent amounts needed 
in constructing your house. For instance, brick that are 
the usual size, 2x4x8 inches, require 22 to the cubic foot, or 
in bull ding a common chimney 16 inches square, it will 
take 30 brick to the foot in height. Thus you will find in 
this work all the diflerent methods of estimating buildings, 
commonly used by builders. 

These will all be of assistance, particularly in country 
places. They will be of special value to the farmer, whether 



HOW TO PROCEED. 89 

he is erecting a house, or some of the many different kinds 
of farm buUdiags, where usually all materials are furnished 
and the labor contracted by the day to execute the work. 

He commences in the fall, after farming work is well 
out of the way, and determines what he wants for a 
buUding, and the size of the same, cutting from his own 
forest and hauling to the mill the logs to cut out all of 
the different dimensions and kinds of materials, which 
should then be pUed up to dry. 

All material intended for finishing, inside and outside, 
such as flooriug, clapboard ing, or weather- boarding, casings 
and moldings, should be thoroughly dried out and seasoned, 
so that it can be matched, planed, re-sawed, and got into 
shape for putting up. In fact, all timber should be 
thoroughly seasoned, for, if put up before dry, it is always 
"getting out of shape," as it is termed, warping and 
twisting badly, doors and window-frames opening joint, the 
plastering cracking, frame settling, and openings appearing 
under the base-boards. 

All of this may be caused, even where the finish is dry, 
by putting in the framing when it is wet, and covering it 
up before it has time to dry, which it will do after fires are 
in the house, and produce the results above mentioned. 
Therefore, if the framing lumber cannot have time to be 
dried in the pUe, it should be allowed to stand three or four 
weeks or more in the building, before plastering. 

All floor joists for the second floor should be si^ied to a 
uniform width, and all outside and inside studding should be 
treated in the same manner; then the walls will come even, 
and there will be no trouble by the variations in widths of 
studding. Any kind of lumber wUl dry sufficiently in the 



90 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

open air, piled up openly with free access for the air to pass 
through, except in 'case of that used for doors, sash, and 
blinds, which must be kiln-dried after being dressed; or as 
is usual with doors, when framed together before gluing, 
placed in the kiln for a few days. Pine lumber for doors, 
sash, and blinds should be soft, as that which is hard and 
glassy, or what is known as Norway pine, will warp when 
the door comes to be used. For painted work it don't 
matter so much if some sap is used on inside finish, unless 
the work is to be painted white, when it would take too 
many coats to cover the dark colors of the sap ; and if any 
knots are used, either inside or out, they should be 
thoroughly covered with shellac before painting, as it will 
help to prevent the pitch coming through. If the wood 
is finished in the natural color of the pine, it must first 
be made perfectly smooth with sand-paper, if a good job is 
wanted, and then given one coat of hard oil finish. When 
dry, over this spread two coats of good copal or coach 
varnish; this, when dry, makes a hard, bright, glossy finish, 
easily kept clean. The wood ior the work must be sand- 
papered with the grain, as any cross rubbing will, when the 
work is done, show scratches on the surface. 

When we can have our way, we never paint anything 
white. The old-time custom, in many parts of the country, 
of painting the house white, and outside blinds green, we 
know has a strong hold on the popular mind; but we think 
if a little attention is given to the subject, and pains taken 
to see some houses that ^re painted in one or more modern 
colors, 'most of the adherents to the glaring white and 
brilliant green will yield to the more harmonious shades 
that are in better accord with the surroundings. 



dHAFa^RR XI. 



HEATING AND VENTILATION. — OPEN FIEE-PLACES. — GEATES 
AND FURNACES. — STEAM HEATING. — HOW TO VENTI- 
LATE. — IMPURE AIR. — nature's DISINFECTANTS. 




o>»4o 



HE old fire-place, with its cheery blaze and glow- 
ing back log, and coals that assume ten thousand 
fantastic shapes and pictures, all giving out an 
abundance of heat, cannot be outdone by any 
inventions of modern progress, we thiak, even 
though more easy methods have been introduced. 
In a location where wood is abundant, we ad- 
vise house owners to have a good, large, open 
fire-place in the main living-room, as we think 
this the nearest approach to a means of perfect 
ventilation, the warm flue of the fire-place creat- 
ing a strong draft from near the floor and carrying out the 
foul air. Moreover, the influence of the open fire, with leap- 
ing flames and glowing, crackling coals, draws the family 
around its magic circle and brings the members a little 
nearer each other. 

Grates and Furnaces. 

The nearest approach to the open fire-place is the grate 

[91] 



92 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

for burning soft coal, and when arranged with its ash pit a^ 
before described in this work, is very easy to keep clean. 
This method of heating is now very general and answers 
the purpose quite well. A good mantel and grate may be 
obtained at from thirty dollars upward. 

Heating furnaces, burning wood or hard coal, are very 
much used also. Out of the many patterns made, some are 
reasonably good, among which we would recommend the 
Boynton, the Magee, the Ruby, and the Dome furnaces. 
All modern styles have a reservoir for holding water, to be 
evaporated into the hot-air chamber, and thereby moistening 
the heated air and giving a warmth more like steam. With 
old-style furnaces, the difficulty was that the air was burned 
or vitiated, and thus rendered unfit to breathe. This ob- 
stacle is mainly overcome in the modern furnace. 

The furnace should have a cold-air supply-box or con- 
ductor leading from the outside, and also a register in the 
hall with conductor leading to the furnace. This will take 
the cold air from the rooms when heating begins. The 
supply conductor from outside should be ample, and should 
have a cut-off for regulating the supply of cold air. 

Most furnaces can be used without being covered with 
brick ; but we advise, as a means of economizing heat, that 
they be bricked in, first by a single four-inch wall, and 
around this, with an air-space of ten inches between, an 
eight-inch wall. This arrangement leaves a space between 
the furnace and first wall, and the inside of this wall should 
be covered with plaster-of-Paris, as it is a non-conductor 
of heat. 

The pipes conducting the hot air should be of tin or gal- 
vanized iron, and should be let into the top of hot-air cham- 



BEATING WITH STEAM. 9S 

ber over the furnace. The warm conductois leading to the 
rooms of the first floor, open into a register in the floor, which 
should be bricked in around, four inches from any wood. 
The conductors to upper stories should be by means of tin 
flues in the walls, and these should open by register into 
rooms just above the base board. The smoke pipe should be 
connected with the highest and largest flue in the house. 

Steam as a means of heating dwellings is comparatively 
new and not very generally used yet outside of large cities. 
In Detroit, and two or three other large cities, there is a 
section of the city, covering an area of nearly one square 
mile, successfully supplied with steam, by a Steam Supply 
Company, from a battery of boilers all located in one build- 
ing, the steam being carried in pipes laid under the pave- 
ment. This method has been tested sufficiently to 
demonstrate its superiority over all others as a means of 
heating large buildings with many rooms. The ease with 
which steam finds its way through pipes to the remotest 
part of a building, without any sensible loss of heat, gives 
it a great advantage over furnace heating. 

The method is healthful, and with the present precautions 
and use of low pressure boilers, no serious accident can 
attend its use. The radiator pipes or drums for each room 
are made in an endless variety of designs, painted, gilded, 
and varnished ; and while the cost of putting in a boiler and 
pipes is greater, the saving of fuel and safety from fire will 
soon repay the additional expense. 

One hint may be profitably added here, to those who are 
not accustomed to steam; every radiator must have, of 
course, a place for the admission of steam, and this is always 
supplied with a valve to turn off* the steam and turn it on 



94 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

as occasion requires, and every radiator Wiust have a small 
air exhaust, at the opposite side or end from the valve. It 
is sometimes omitted by the workman, but must be put in 
or the register will not work. When the steam is turned on, 
open this air exhaust until the steam drives out all the air, 
and when the steam is turned off, open exhaust to let air in. 

Ventilation. 

The importance of pure air in our dwellings cannot be 
overestimated ; inventions without number have been made 
and offered the public, and treatises without end have been 
written, each of which, if we should credit the inventor or 
author, afforded a perfect and the only possible means of 
escape from death by foul air. One after another they have 
been tried, and their adoption has resulted in failure and 
disappointment in too many cases, and yet many seem 
to be looking for some patent seK-regulating process or 
device, which, without knowledge, attention, or thought, 
shall ventilate a dwelling. 

The expectation must always meet with disappointment, 
but with our present knowledge, and without waiting for 
any new facts or inventions, we can apply our common 
sense and thereby devise plans to secure air reasonably pure 
in our rooms. 

The principal impurity in the air in our rooms, is 
carbonic acid which is produced in the act of breathing, hence 
it is being constantly thrown off, and if not removed from 
the room it will soon vitiate all the air within. 

In a nearly pure state carbonic acid is heavier than 
air, and where the air is of an even temperature, it will 
occupy the lower part of the room near the floor. Owing 
to the fact, however, that in most cases the air is warmer in 



VENTILATION. 



95 



some parts of the room than in others, it is not at all 
improbable that the carbonic acid diffuses itself throughout 
the room. 

The problem then is to remove this vitiated air, and 
supply its place with pure air, by not subjecting the occu- 
pants to cold draughts. To secure this end, ample means 
of entrance and escape of air must be made. 




Fig. I. 

The best means which can be provided, is the open fire 
or grate for escape, as currents setting up the flue will 
change the air very quickly if means of entrance are 
provided by an open transom, a window lowered at the 
top, or other means. 

Our illustration shows an easy, cheap method of ventila- 



96 



OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 



tion adapted to any building. Fasten a neat piece of wood 
from 3 to 5 inches wide inside the bottom sash, fitting 
it tightly at ends and bottom, and leave it far enough away 
so that the sash will move up and down with ease, and if 
there is half an inch between, it will only act the better. 

When the lower sash is raised, the air rushes into the 
room between the piece of wood set in and the sash, and 
also at middle between the two sash, as shown by the 
arrows pointing upward. It will be seen that the piece set 
in prevents the air from coming in and striking the 
occupants as a direct draught, as when the air strikes the 
board, it deflects it upward. A weather strip could be 
fastened to the bottom of sash between piece set in, and thus 
admit air only between the two sash at middle of window. 
If it is desired to establish an outward current, the top sash 
may be lowered, when the air will pass out as indicated by 
the four arrows. 

The " revolving ventilator " which is sold at the hard- 
ware stores, is recommended by many. It is inserted in a 
circular hole cut in the glass near top of window. 

Plenty of air should be admitted into the bed-room, — no 
danger of " colds " when abundance of pure air and clean 
bed-covers are at hand. Children's rooms should especially 
be looked after in this respect, as we owe it to them to give 
abundant supplies of nature's own disiufectants, — pure air 
and water. 

Rooms that have their doors opened and closed frequently, 
as in the living-rooms, need but little attention in ventila- 
tion. In the morning the windows and doors of bed-rooms 
should be thrown open and allowed to remain so for some 
time, to permit the pure air to thoroughly search every 
nook and corner, and drive out impurities. 



(!1maf»^e.r Xfl. 



SITUATION AND SUEROUNDINGS. — SELECTING A HEALTHY 
SITE. — HOW TO SECURE GOOD DRAINAGE. — PURE WA- 
TER. — DANGER FROM STAGNANT POOLS. — HOW A HOUSE 
SHOULD FRONT. — SUNSHINE. — ITS VALUE. — SHADE 
TREES. 




o>»{c 



THER things being equal, high ground is always 
preferable for a building site; but many things 
must be taken into consideration in the location, 
p Old water-courses, low, swampy grounds, and 
dense forests should be avoided, as they are 
fruitful sources of disease. It is not pleasant to 
locate near a manufacturing concern, where the 
din of resounding machinery fills the air with 
discordant sounds, and where clouds of smoke 
settle down at the most inopportune moments. 
It is not best in cities to locate where a good 

sewer is not accessible, for in time the difficulty in drainage 

will become very annoying. 

In the country there is not so much difficulty in securing^ 

a desirable location. The first consideration should be good 

drainage, and the soil and subsoil must be carefully exam- 

7 [97] 



98 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

ined to this end. If the soil is gravelly or porous, and 
the subsoil a hard clay, impervious to water, the site is not 
a good one, for the surface water will simply settle down to 
the clay and remain there, making the ground damp and 
unhealthful. This may, however, be remedied to a great 
extent by putting in tile drains, but it is best to find a good 
porous or gravelly subsoil. 

Where a good system of sewerage is maintained, the 
drainage is of no consequence, as it is easy to secure almost 
perfect immunity from damp premises. 

The next consideration is a good and ample supply of 
drinking water, and water for all domestic purposes ; this is 
of vital importance. It is far better to be at some expense 
in bringing it from a distant spring or a running stream by 
means of pipes, than to run any risk by the use of contam- 
inated water. Many fine sites, in other respects very 
desirable, are not deemed practical by reason of their loca- 
tion on high ground away from water, but this difficulty 
can usually be overcome if there is water within a reason- 
able distance in a valley below, by means of a Hydraulic 
Ram. 

A well should not be located near any building unless 
there is a perfect system of drainage for carrying off" the 
surface water ; neither is it safe to locate a well too near a 
drain, as the incline of the surface or strata of subsoil may 
allow the sewage to filter through into the well and con- 
taminate the water. 

In many parts of the country, where the lower strata is 
gravel, and where the water is only a few feet down, drive 
wells are put in by driving into the earth an iron pipe one 
and a half inches in diameter, upon the end of which ia 



DRAINAGE AND EXPOSURE. 99 

firmly screwed a sharp, steel-pointed head, the pipe for a 
few inches above the steel-pointed head having small holes 
for the admission of water. Water from this kind of wells 
is usually pure, and no water from the surface can get in 
to contaminate. Any system of drainage depends largely 
upon a good supply of water for its effectiveness, and with- 
out good drainage the best location will soon become 
unhealthy. 

A quick-running stream, if not subject to annoying or 
dangerous overflows, is to be desired as an adjunct to a good 
site, as it can be made the means of carrying off accumula- 
tions of filth; but a sluggish stream, or standing water, 
should be avoided, as danger lurks on their banks ; nor are 
pools that are made for ornament to be trusted. 

Lakes, if fed by rivulets or unseen springs at the bottom, 
so that the water will not stagnate, may be most delightful 
and reasonably healthful as adjuncts to buildipg sites. 

Exposure of a House. 

The exposure of a house, or the direction it fronts, and 
the relative location of its principal rooms, has much to do 
with the comfort of its inmates. 

The greatest consideration is the admission of sunshine 
into every room, if possible, sometime during the day. In 
cities and towns where the streets run with the cardinal points 
of the compass, a northwest corner, the house fronting south, 
is the best location, next to which the west side of a street is 
preferable, as the principal rooms may then be located on 
the east and south exposures ; and if some room must be 
located so that sunlight cannot enter, let it be the dinning- 
room, for while we want it as pleasant as possible, we liv« 



100 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

in it less time than any other. The kitchen also may be 
located on the cold side, as may the staircase and hall. 

If the house should stand on the west side of street, on 
an inside lot, the principal rooms should be on the south 
side, if the house is on the east side, the exposure of the 
principal rooms should be on the south and west, and for 
sunshine this is really a better location than the foregoing, 
but it has the disadvantage of being exposed to the intense 
heat of the afternoon sun, which can in a measure be over- 
come by shade-trees placed not too close to the house. 

If the house is built on the north side of the street, the 
house fronts south of course, and the principal rooms should 
open to the east, allowing the morning sun to pour its full 
rays into the rooms, just at the time of day when sunshine 
is enjoyable; and as the day passes the sun will sweep 
around and give the whole front and west side a bath, leav- 
ing the east rooms cool and shady in the afternoon. There 
are some disadvantages in locating a residence on the south 
side of a street, for the winds of winter have full play upon 
the parts where the principal rooms must be located ; and 
yet this can be overcome by the use of double windows, and 
by building a vestibule entrance, or a storm door. While 
such houses may possibly be colder in winter they are more 
pleasant in summer. 

All houses should have verandas on the sides exposed to 
the sun, if possible, and sleeping rooms so exposed, may be 
rendered cooler by keeping out the hot rays by means of 
awnings. 

In the country, no obstacles are usually in the way to 
securing the best possible location for sunlight. 

The best frontings are either south or east, and if the 



LOCATING AND BEAUTIFYING. 



101 



house should be set m. some other way than with the 
cardmal points, there is no law by which the owner can be 
compelled to turn it around. 

The rooms must be so located as to secure the sunlis^ht 
to the best advantage, the style of the building and location 
of trees having, of course, much to do in determining what 
is best to do. 

There is nothing, perhaps, that enhances the beauty of 
houses more than trees and shrubbery when there is room 
for them. Trees should not stand too near houses, nor 
should their branches ever overhang, as they not only 
damage the work and mar the beauty of outline, but they 
also cause a dampness to settle around and into the house, 
rendering it unhealthful. We think much of shade-trees, 
but would keep them at a respectful distance from the 
house; near enough to break the force of winter's winds, 
and shelter from summer's sun. 




CxMi^^a-RR XKI. 



THE PRIMITIVE HOUSE. — OUR NOBLE ANCESTORS. — MODERN 
RESIDENCES. — HOW TO BUILD A HOUSE AND MAKE AD- 
DITIONS TO IT. — A SIMPLE COTTAGE. 



oj*:o 



[any of our readers are no doubt familiar with 
the old-fashioned house built by our forefathers 
— the log cabin. Our engraver has succeeded 
very well in producing a good illustration, one 
with its primitive surroundings. Who shall say 
that its walls of rough logs, and its roof made of 
rough puncheons held in place by poles, did not 
shelter the best blood of our nation? And who 
shall fail to revere the memory of those who 
toiled in and reclaimed the wilderness from it» 
wildness, endured privations, poverty, and mis- 
fortune, triumphed over obstacles almost insurmountable, 
and made it possible for us to possess Our Homes and Their 
Adornments ? 

No architect had they to plan parlor, library, and 
conservatory, no mills had they to cut, plane, match, and 
fashion the lumber; but with ax and rude saw they hewed 
from the tree each piece, patiently but perseveringly until 

[102] 




OUR ANCESTORS. 



103 



the house was finished, — not in soft wood or hard wood, not 
in molded base or graceful architrave, but finished for such 
comforts as they needed. 

And the Mothers — all glory to their memory! — their 
fingers were busy in interior decoration — not in making 
applique work, not in painting plaques and panels, but in 
providing such comforts as could be obtained. They took 



■""^S^i 




Fig. 



2. 



as much pleasure and exhibited as much pride in their 
graceful festoons of red-pepper pods and dried pumpkins, as 
does the modern woman in her richly ornamented portiere 
or lambrequin. 

Comfort never waited to be invited into such a house; 
she entered and took up her abode there. Little use for 
ventilating apparatus — the high piled open fire-place, roar- 



104 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

ing and crackling, asserted its ability to assume all care of 
the frequent change of air in the room, and as for inlets for 
air, there were plenty of them. 

The plans and specifications of such a house would 
probably call for "solid walls of native timber carefully 
grooved and fitted at each corner so that no crack between 
timbers should exceed six inches; the walls at the ends 
carried up so as to give the roof the proper pitch ; the rafters 
to be of poles, laid from end to end ; the roof to be of slabs, 
lapped and the joints broken; the whole to be held in place 
by good solid poles, well ' scotched ' and tied down at the 
ends ; the floor to be made of well-smoothed slabs, laid close 
and in a workman-like manner; the walls to be plastered 
with good, tough red clay, carefully put on with the hands ; 
the whole building to be completed and ready for occupancy 
before the approach of cold weather." 

Each man was his own architect, contractor, builder, and 
finisher; yet the old log-house did not long content its 
occupants, for after the " clearin' " was made and the fields 
well under cultivation, the hewed log-house was built, and 
perhaps after a few years a double hewed log-house was put 
up, with well-fitted logs, and cracks filled, not with red clay, 
but pure white lime, burned from stone taken from the 
quarry on the premises. 

Thus the desire for better houses, and the ability to 
possess them has grown, till by genius, industry, and 
frugality, any family may possess their own home and 
adorn it in a manner suited to their taste and means. To 
all such, the several departments of this work are worth 
perusal. 



PRAIRIE HOUSE. 



105 



DESIGN I.— A PRAIRIE HOUSE. 

In the accompanying engravings we have, perhaps, 
given a plan that may seem advisable for some of our 
prairie readers to follow. 

There is hardly any one settling on the prairies who could 
not produce lumber sufficient to buUd a small "shanty," but 
is deterred from doing so, for, he says, " I will be able in a 
few years " — remember, the corn-growing and pork-pro- 
ducing farmer of the West accumulates fast when once 
started — " to build me a good, respectable house, and I bate 




Fig- 3- 



to waste material upon something that will be nearly 
useless then." It is to help this class of builders that our 
designs are intended. 

Fig. 3 represents a simple cottage of only one room, 
which can be erected at a very trifling expense, even on the 
prairies where lumber is high and scarce, and must be 
hauled a long distance. It is 12x14 feet, and 7 feet 
between joists, it will take material as follows: 800 feet of 



106 



OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 



inch boards @ $30 per thousand, $24; 4 sills, 6x9, and 4 
beams, 6x6, 10 rafters, and 12 joists, $6; 2 panel doors 
@$2.50 each, and 3 windows @ $1.50 each, $9.50; nails 
and paper for roofing, $10. Total, $49.50. 

Here is a cost of about fifty dollars; and any man of 
ordinary ingenuity can do all the work himself, with the 
aid of a carpenter to case the windows, and case and hang 
the doors. Let him first frame the sills and lay them upon 
the foundation in proper position ; next frame the beams and 




Fig. 4. 



lay them upon the sills; then securely nail two boards 
perpendicularly at each corner of the sills. 

Use sixteen-foot boards, cut in the middle; this will 
make the building seven feet in the clear. Now cut four 
stanchions seven feet long; and with the aid of one person 
you can raise the beams one end at a time, slip under the 
stanchions, and nail the tops of the boards that had been 
previously nailed to the sills, securely to the beams, and you 



ADDITION TO PBAIRIE HOUSE. 



107 



are ready to proceed with the planking, which any one can 
do who can saw off a board and drive a nail. 

For roofing, use saturated tar paper, which is manu- 
factured expressly for it, and is for sale in all Western towns. 
The cost is about one-fourth that of shingles; it is not as 
good, but will last several years, when you can lay your 
shingles right over it. 

If you build in the spring or early summer, you can 
omit the clapboards until the fall; but don't omit the 
veranda. 




o 



B 



We are like an architectural gentleman who once went 
into ecstacies over blinds. We have nothing rebutting to 
show; it is a blind subject; but we think the crowning glory 
of any house, large or small, is a veranda, or as the girl called 
it, "our folks's stoop." So much for Fig. 3. 

Now we will suppose our humble farmer, at the end of 
one or two years, has acquired means to enlarge his humble 



108 



OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 



domicile. This he can do, as shown in plan, Fig. 5, which 
consists of his first erection with a lean-to of one bed-room, 
a pantry, and a wood-shed. This can be erected upon the 
same principle as the first. The reason we recommended 
planking and clapboards in preference to studs and clap- 
boarding, is that any one can build with planks ; but it will 
require a professional carpenter to build a studded house. 

Fig. 5 will make a very convenient house for a small 
family. The inside can be finished with paper or plaster, to 




ZL_J"«^ 



B 




Fig. 6. 



suit the taste of the occupants. Again we will suppose that 
"the lapse of years has brought round the time " when our 
friend wishes to again enlarge his house. 

If he has followed our former plans, he will do so, as 
shown in Figs. 6 and 7. This consists of an upright part 
added to his former erections. He now, of course, has 
means sufficient at his command, and will call in the aid of 
a practical architect. He can build this last part two stories 
high if he wishes, but we would advise a low house in a 



ADDITION TO PBAIBJE HOUSE. 



109 



prairie country. We think this will make a very convenient 
house, not devoid of beauty. 

Plan, Fig. 3, is a room 12x14; V, veranda. 







Plan, Fig. 5, K, living room, 12x14; B, bed-room, 8x9; 
P, pantry, 8x8; W, S, wood-shed; V, veranda. 



110 



OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 



Plan, Fig. 6, L, living-room, 12x13; K, kitchen, 12 
xl4; D, dining-room, 9|xl2; B, B, B, bed-rooms, 9x8, and 
8x8; S, P, summer pantry, 8x8; P, pantry, 8x8; W, 
wood-shed; V, V, veranda. 

The summer pantry can be used in winter for a place to 
keep meat, and as a store-room. Being away from the 
kitchen fire, it will keep meat fresh a long time in suitable 
weather. 

The cost of the last design (the third addition) will not 
exceed $1,500, and could probably be built for less if one 
would do as much of the work as possible himself. 




ClMJ^F^a-RR XfV. 



AN ATTEACTIVE COTTAGE HOME FOR PEOPLE WITH SMALL 
MEANS. — HOW CONSTRUCTED. — THE COST. — HOW TO 
PAINT IT. 

^ DESIGN II. ^ 

E give in Figs. 8 and 9 illustrations of the 
arrangement of the rooms on first floor, and 
perspective view of front and principal side of 
an attractive little cottage, neat and well pro- 
portioned, simple in design, and easy of con- 
struction, there being but little ornamental work 
used, as shown in the elevation. A course of 
sawed panels across the front, set in square 
frame-work, and the projection of the second 
story over bay, with its two large brackets on 
either side, give a fine outline to the front, with 
the relief of cut slat patterns under projection and over the 
windows in front gable ; and this, together with the simple 
cut figures in the entrance porch, is all the real ornamental 
work on the house- The fact is that the exterior efiect 
in the cottage depends more upon the outlines of corners, 
projections, and angles of roof, than upon anything else, and 
is an example of what can be done without much ornamen- 

[111] 




112 



OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS, 



tation and still claim merit from its attractiveness. The 
roof should be shingled and painted a dark red, while the 
body of the house should be painted an olive green, and the 
trimmings, that is, cornices, corners, porch and bay-window, 
a dark chocolate, with corners, or chamfers, where there arf 




Fig. 8. 



any, in vermilion. The effect, if the house is standing 
alone, with trees and shrubbery around, wiU be pleasing. 
So much for the exterior. 

Fig. 8 shows how the rooms are placed on first floor, 
the porch opening into a lobby and from this either inta 



DESIGN OF COTTAGE, 



113 



living-room or kitchen. "We would suggest that it would 
he a good plan to have a small room in the rear for cooking 
in summer, which could be added at smaU expense. 




Fig. 9. 



The small room marked " coal " could, if thought advis- 
able, be opened into the kitchen and used for a store-room. 
A pantry of ample size will be found convenient, having 
shelves on three sides, and also a good closet off from living- 

8 



114 . OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

room, and one under stairs, unless there is a cellar under the 
house, in which case the stairs to the same would have to be 
placed under the staircase leading to the second floor. 

On the second floor there are two good sleeping-rooms, 
there being a small hall at head of stairs extending along 
side of stair-way to front room, and doors opening into this 
and the rear bed-room immediately back of it. Two closets 
are between the rooms, one for each. The rear chamber is 
lighted with two windows, coming up into the roof, one on 
the side and the other in the rear. 

This completes the number of rooms, and we have four 
good-sized rooms and plenty of closets. This we think an 
excellent plan for a small family of little means, who are 
desirous, if they cannot have so large a house, to have one 
that possesses some degree of taste and refinement at least; 
and there is no reason why the cottage homes of our people 
should not be made more attractive when it can be done by 
so little well-directed skill in planning and executing; for 
many times the cottage, with its simple adornment, is the 
abode of more genuine happiness than ever passed the thresh- 
olds of some who live in palatial homes, and are surrounded 
with all the luxury that money will buy. 

This design would make a very good summer cottage, 
if desired, in which case it would not necessarily need to be 
plastered. At present prices, this house can be built here, 
all complete, for six hundred dollars. 



(!lMJ^]Fa"RR X^. 



A NEAT, SYMMETRICAL STORY-AND-A-HALF HOUSE AT MOD- 
ERATE COST. — DESCRIPTION OF ITS ARRANGEMENT. — 
ITS ADVANTAGES OVER A ONE-STORY HOUSE. — SOME 
NOVEL FEATURES. 



DESIGN III. 



I E present in Figs. 10 and 11, first and second floor 
plans, with front elevation shown in Fig. 12, of 
a storj'-and-a-half cottage. Two of these have 
recently been completed for the author, for rent- 
ing purposes, and he considers this design the 
nearest approach to an ideal neat, cosey, tasty 
cottage home that he has ever made, for the 
amount they cost. 

The house consists, as will be seen by refer- 
ring to first-floor plan. Fig. 10, of portico L, 
vestibule K, 5x5 ft., and opening into parlor A, 
12x14 ft., and also to sitting or main living room B, 12x14 
ft., which is connected with the parlor by a sliding door four 
feet wide. Off" the sitting-room is a bed-room D, 8x10 ft., 
and a clothing closet G, under the stairs, for the accommoda- 
tion of the same. 

From the sitting-room, door I opens to an easy stair-way 

[115] 




116 



OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 



leading to second floor, and the door in rear opens into the 
kitchen C, 13x14 ft., large enough to use for dining pur- 
poses when desired. In one corner of the kitchen is an iron 
sink with good drip-board at one end and a cupboard under 
the sink. The chimney shown in kitchen is for the use of 
both rooms, between which it is located. The kitchen stove 
can stand well up in the comer and leave plenty of room 
for tables, etc. 




Fig. lo. 



F is a pantry, 4x7 ft., of ample size, with one broad 
shelf, under which is a space inclosed with a door for a 
barrel of flour, and a small door or ix)p of shelf opening into 
barrel. Also on the side of this door a tier of three drawers, 
and plenty of open shelves and cleats, all around the three 
sides. Door H opens to a stair-way leading down to a neat 
little cellar, 12x14 ft., the walls of which are made of brick 



STORY- AND- A-HALF HOUSE. 



117 



laid open, thereby effectually keeping out dampness and 
frost. The floor is concreted, and a tile drain connected 
with sewer laid inside of the walls. The door from the 
kitchen in the rear opens out to a platform with steps lead- 
ing down each way, one to the walk around to the front, 
and the other to water-closet J, which is connected directly 
with the sewer. 




Fig. II. 



On the second floor we have, you will observe by refer- 
ring to Fig. 11, ample hall room N, with window. The two 
rooms marked, D, D, are sleeping-rooms, 12x14, and from the 
hall is one large closet for both rooms. M is an unfinished 
attic over kitchen, with door from the large closet, and is 
used only for storing trunks or things not frequently wanted. 

The compactness of the house makes it easy of access to 
the different rooms and easy to warm ; indeed, one medium- 



118 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

size base burner, set in the living-room, will "warm the whole 
house, except the kitchen. In the ceiling, immediately over 
the stove, we have a register opening into the room above, 
and one in front room to the chamber over it; these regis- 
ters can be closed during the day, and in the evening by 
opening them and running the fire a little more briskly, the 
sleeping-rooms can easily be made warm enough. 

The objection is sometimes made that the sleeping-rooms 
in a story-and-a-half house are too warm in summer; such, 
however, is not the case if the windows in these rooms are 
arranged in the manner shown in Fig. 11, or in a similar 
manner, with not less than two in a room and always on 
two sides. If one window can face the south or west, so 
much the better, as a good ventilation can be had at all 
times. 

The side walls are sixteen feet and six inches high from top 
of sill to top of plate ; the first story is nine feet and six inches 
between the floor joists, leaving the outside wall of second 
floor six feet and four inches from floor to where the angle 
of roof rests on the plates, and in the center the rooms are 
nine feet high. The rear or kitchen part is twelve-foot 
studding, thus leaving ample room in the attic for storing 
purposes. We think the exterior presents nice and graceful 
proportions. 

The design depends for effect as much on the outline 
and painting as upon anything else. Across the front and 
sides is a water-table; and from this up to the window-sills, 
the wall is sheathed with matched sheathing, and the sill 
course extended around over this and cut into panels with 
cross-bars in the manner shown in the elevation. The 
window-casings connect with a band or belt course at the 



STOBY-AND-A-HALF HOUSE. 



119 



caps, while the double window in the second story is con- 
nected on each side with the caps of the two windows below, 
by a piece cut in a symmetrical form ; and in between these 
the panel is covered with shingles cut in a neat pattern. 




Fig 12. 



120 OUB SOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

The gable is divided by a band and shingled in the same 
manner, as is also the end of veranda. 

On the top of the roof, over each gable, is placed a 
neat finial of wood, and the gables are finished with a 
verge-board of unique design, placed immediately back of 
the facia. This gives a very pleasing appearance. The 
front door has glass in top panel to light the vestibule. 
Steps with rail and posts on each side lead up to the 
veranda. 

We have painted the house in the following manner: 
The body « or parts of the house clapboarded, and the panels 
under sill course, are an olive-green ; all trimmings, 
including cornices, window-frames, bands, veranda, and 
cross-pieces in panels, are a dark chocolate; the cut shingles 
in gable and veranda are a bright red; while all the trim- 
mings of chocolate color have chamfers cut in with 
vermilion, the sash also being vermilion. The effect and 
harmony of these colors are very pleasing. 

We wish to say a few words, comparing this six-room, 
story-and-a-half house, costing, in Detroit, thirteen hundred 
dollars, with a one-story cottage containing the same 
number of rooms, all on the first floor, and costing the same 
amount. 

In the first place, the cottage must necessarily cover 
more ground in order to obtain the same amount of room, 
and this must be in width as well as length; hence the 
advantage in building on narrow lots; we have much 
more ground left for a lawn at the side, and also for a yard 
in the rear, as well as more light and air, which are of con- 
sideration. 

In the second place, the height of the walls of a one- 



STOBY-AND-A-HALF HOUSE. 121 

story cottage must be twelve feet, only four feet less than 
the other; the amount of roof must be as much more as 
would be required to cover the amount of two sleeping- 
rooms on first floor, (and these rooms cannot be as large as 
those in the story-and-a-half house), usually with one win- 
dow in a room, or if there are two, they must be on the 
same side. The result will be small sleeping-rooms that can 
never be ventilated as well as a room on the second floor, 
with windows on two sides. 

And again, do what you may in the way of embelish- 
ment outside, you can never produce on the one-story build- 
ing that symmetry of outline and beauty of proportion so 
easily obtained in the other; therefore we think that these 
considerations are decidedly in favor of the story-and-a-half 
house, and worthy of the careful attention of any one 
interested in this class of houses. 



DESIGN IV.— STORY-AND-A-HALF HOUSE. 

We follow here with another design of a story-and-a- 
half house, the first floor plan being seen in Fig. 13, and a 
fine perspective of the front and one side in Fig. 14, show- 
ing the house and lawn as they actually appear when com- 
pleted. This building is not so high as the one last 
described, the posts being 14 feet, makiug the rooms on first 
floor nine feet, and on the second, four feet and six inches 
at the side, and eight feet six inches in the center of the 
room. For the difference in cost we would not recommend 
a house with rooms so low. The outside, while decidedly 
plain, possesses something that commands attention. 



122 



OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 



The broad, sheltering cornice gives to it the appearance 
of ample protection from sun and storm; the hooded 
windows in front and inviting porticoes with climbing vines 
lend to it a charm which must impress one that the inmates 
of a home like this should enjoy their share of worldly bless- 



a 



A 



i 



■ J- 



Fig. 13- 

ings, such as belongonly to those who have worked hard and 
perhaps long to come into possession of such a place. 

The outside walls are covered with clapboards, and the 
roofs, including hood and porticoes, are all shingled. 



ABBANGEMENT OF BOOMS. 



123 



The first floor plan, Fig. 13, shows; 1 and 5, porticoes, 1 
opening into front staircase hall, and 5 into parlor 3, which 
is 15 ft. square; this is connected with hall 2, 9x14 ft., with 
a neat staircase to second floor and closet underneath. 




Fig. 14. 



From the parlor is a room for library 4, 11x14 ft., with 
door to sitting-room 6, 15x16 ft., with double window in 
the rear, also door to hall and to kitchen 7, 9x16 ft., and 
back of this, pantry 8, 5x9 ft. 

On the second floor there are three good rooms, one over 



124 



OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 



parlor and one over sitting-room, with a hall running cross- 
wise of the building, from where the stairs land to the room 
over the library. These rooms are all lighted from windows 
in the gables, and each room is supplied with a commodious 
closet. 

At the present price of all kinds of material and labor, 
this building can be erected for about $900.00, 





tin 



dMi^F^a-n^ X^I. 



STORY-AND-A-HALF HOUSES CONTINUED. — A HOUSE THAT 
WILL ADMIT SUNLIGHT TO EVERY ROOM. — APPEARANCE 
MADE SUBORDINATE TO ARRANGEMENT OF ROOMS. — AN 
EXCELLENT FLOOR PLAN. 



^ DESIGN Y. -^ 

JE give in Fig. 15 first-floor plan, and in Fig. 16 
perspective view of a fine and commodious story- 
and-a-half house well adapted for a country or 
suburban residence. It is well adapted for a 
corner lot, but if it is of good width, an inside 
lot will do. 

By referring to first floor plan. Fig. 15, it will 
be seen that this house contains much more room 
and on a scale more elaborate than anything yet 
shown in the preceding story-and-a-half houses, 
and of course costs more. 
A is the fine, large veranda, and from this the front or 
principal entrance opens to main hall B and spacious stair- 
case, with window on the landing, of stained glass in rich, 
harmonious colors, admitting a beautiful, subdued light into 
the hall below. 

C is the parlor, 13x17 ft., with a broad bay-window on 

[125] 




126 



OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 



the front, adding much to the dimensions and appearance of 
the room as well as to the external effect. Opposite this is 
an open grate, facing the window, whose cheering flame can 
be seen from the street by the passers-by, if the blinds are 
open. Who is there, that may chance to be out on the street 
on a cold winter night, who does not admire the view of the 
]ight of the open fire flickering through the window, 
suggesting warmth and comfort to those withla? 




Fig. 15. 



E is the library of ample size, with a square bay-window 
on the front and a window out to veranda; it also has a 
grate and mantel with a closet in one corner of the room on 
the side of the grate. 

D is the sitting or main living room. It is large, and 
connects with hall and parlor, with door out on the veranda 
L. It also has a grate near one corner. From this room 



AN EXCELLENT FLOOR PLAN. 127 

a narrow hall-way leads to dining-room F, with doors on 
each side of hall-way, one opening into a large china closet, 
and the other to bath-room containing bath-tub and wash- 
basin. 

The dining-room is very pleasant, as windows and sash 
doors open out on each side to verandas, and admit plenty 
of light and air. 

H is the kitchen with a stair- way F to attic, and cellar 
under, and a window and sash door to veranda- On the 
opposite side, adjoining the kitchen is a large pantry I, 
fitted up with plenty of shelves, cupboards, and drawers ; a 
door from this leads to veranda where there is a pump O to 
cistern, and other conveniences. A sink is located in the 
pantry, it being large enough to admit of it. 

On the second floor we have three fine, large chambers, 
all opening from the hall, and each supplied with a commodi- 
ous closet. Over the dining-room part is located a servants' 
room and a store-room. 

The outside, although quite plain so far as decorative 
effect goes, presents a very neat appearance; and with so 
many broad verandas on each side of the house, it suggests 
comfort outside in the summer time. 

A fine roof of slate, cut to a nice pattern, and laid in 
two colors and with the ridge surmounted by terra cotta 
chimneys, adds in a large measure to the pleasing appear- 
ance presented by the design. 

Completed, the house would cost, $1600.00. 



CxBLJ^F^TRR X^II. 



A EURAL COTTAGE HOME. — A PLAN THAT COMBINES .CON- 
VENIENCE AND BEAUTY. — SIMPLE ADORNMENTS THAT 
ADD TO COMFORT. — PERSPECTIVE VIEW OF A PICTUR- 
ESQUE GOTHIC HOUSE, 




DESIGN YI. 



N the plan, Fig. 17, and the perspective, Fig. 18, 
we present what may be appropriately termed a 
RURAL COTTAGE HOME. The first floor, Fig. 17, 
shows a very complete arrangement of rooms, 
consisting of large parlor, hall in the center 
of house, the dining-room being of the same size 
as the parlor, with the front end beveled, giving 
it the appearance of a bay-window. A double 
window is in this end, and china closet on one 
side, with a private pantry on the other. A 
door from one corner of this room opens into the 
rear hall, which is cut off from the front hall by door C, with 
a small closet in the back end and a cellar door and stairs 
under main stair- way. The kitchen is of good size, with a 
back entry, pantry, and store-room off from side. 

In the rear of the parlor is a child's room and a fair- 
sized bed-room. On the front, off from the main hall, is the 
[128] 




>^ h. 



DESIGN FOB BUBAL COTTAGE. 



12? 



study or sitting-room, with two closets on each side of a 
mantel, and grate in the center, there being one on the 
opposite side from this in the dining-room, both using the 
same chimney. 

The door A should be glazed, as it comes opposite to the 
window in the bed-room, and will serve to Hght the hall. 
The second-floor plan contains five bed-rooms all accessible 




HALL 

'6rwiDE" STUDY 

VERANDA C 13X13 



rPORCHj 



Ua 



Fig. 17. 



from a central hall-way at the head of the stair landing, and 
all being accommodated with closets. 

The main posts being 16 ft. long, the first story should 
be 9 ft. and 8 in. between timbers ; and the second story 6 ft. 

9 



130 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

4 in. on the sides, and 9 ft. through the center. The outside 
walls are intended to be boarded vertically with ten-inch 
boards with molded battens over the joints. 

We think the exterior of this cottage admirable; the 
rustic veranda and trellises over the doors and windows are 
intended for vines, not merely as supports for them, but to 
give thereby an air of rural refinement and poetry to the 
house. 

Cedar poles are the best for trellises, but other accessible 
woods may be used, and the bark should be left on. The 
embellishment with vines may be cheaply and quickly 
secured by any person of taste who knows how to select, 
plant, and train them ; and they should be selected, planted, 
and trained by every person who lives in such a cottage. 
Such garniture is the best external evidence of refine- 
ment and good taste that can be employed; and as an 
educational agency in a family, nothing is more potent nor 
gives greater pleasure. 

This cottage would probably cost near $1500 but a 
cheaper one with the same rooms and conveniences could 
scarcely be devised. 



DESIGN VII. 



In our illustration. Fig. 19, we give a perspective view 
of a picturesque and most admirable exterior of a modern 
gothic-roofed story-and-a-half house. This is particularly 
adapted for a country house or suburban residence with 
plenty of room around it, and should be set on an elevation, 
the ground sloping away in all directions, with plenty of 



A PICTUBESQUE GOTHIC HOUSE. 131 

surrounding shrubbery. The dipped or hooded gables, 
trimmed with neat tracery and broad projections of roof 
and cornices, with wide veranda and canopy tops over the 
windows, all do much toward making up the general form 
and graceful outline of the house. 

The first floor contains four large rooms; viz, parlor, 
sitting-room, dining-room, kitchen with pantry, and bath- 
room, besides a fine hall and easy staircase. On the second 
floor are four good bed-rooms and a closet to each, with a 
hall opening into all rooms. 

The sides of house are clapboarded in the usual manner 
and the roof shingled. The house should be painted on the 
outside in two modern colors of light drab or stone color for 
body, and darker trimmings. Such a house, furnished in 
first-class style, would probably not exceed $1700 in cash. 




G.Mi^F"rE.R X^m. 



MORE DUEABLE MATERIAL. — A SOLID GOTHIC HOUSE. — STYLE, 
NOT NEW BUT POPULAR. — DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANS. 
— COST OF ERECTION. — ^DESIGN IX. — EXTENSIVE FARM 
RESIDENCE AND BARN. 



^ DESIGN YIII. ^ 

E now pass to a house composed of material more 
durable and costly. Figs. 20, 21, and 22 pre- 
sent a design of a building intended for a farm- 
house, to be built of stone. The leading ideas in 
the arrangement of the rooms were compactness 
and convenience, something less pretentious but 
fully as cosy, if the main stair- way is made to 
take a subordinate position from the usual place 
assigned it near the front entrance. A is the 
porch in the base of the tower, with front en- 
trance opening directly into the main living- 
room C, 15x15 ft. The parlor B is the same size as the 
living-room, w^ith which it is connected by a door, which 
might be a sliding door if desired. D is the library, or ow- 
ing to its location away from other rooms, could be used 
for a sick-room when occasion might require it. This room 
is 9x11 ft., a good closet for its accommodation being made 

(132) 




A SOLID GOTHIC HOUSE. 



133 



under the staircase. The kitchen E is llxl2| ft. ; bed-room 
F, 7JxlO ft., with closet J, off from it; pantry G, 8x10 ft. ; 
hall H; wood-shed I, 15x15 ft. ; closets J, J, and veranda V. 
On the second floor are commodious sleeping-rooms, N, O, 
L, and F, all of which are well-lighted and have good closets 
J, J, J, J. A hall-way, H, H, runs from in the' tower to main 
and rear staircases, and the room M is for a servant's room , 



/ 




J 




— =. 


\ 


71 




J. 




F 


1^1 J 


— Tl 


-r^- 







Fir 



20. 



K is the balcony on tower, and a narrow stair- way, witK 
rail, leads from main hall up to the tower observatory. 

The general form of the outer walls is such as admits of 
a picturesque outline in the elevation, and in the treatment 
of the exterior finish the expenditure has been spread out in 
simple embellishments over the whole structure rather than 
concentrated upon an elaborate cornice. 



134 



OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 



This design, we are well aware, is not altogether new, 
neither did we intend it should be; it is simply a study of 
the old gothic forms of architecture, whose pleasing outlines 
can never become old to the lover of the beautiful. This 
house, if built of stone as designed, will not only impress 
the beholder with a sense of quiet repose and harmony, but 




it will have the effect of strength and solidity combined with 
its outward appearance. 

This building might be erected of brick or wood, in which 
case the plan of windows and doors might vary slightly 
from that shown in the illustration. We should, however, 
recommend the use of stone, when the cost of the building 
complete would be near S5000.00, 



AN EXTENSIVE FARM RESIDENCE. 135 

DESIGN IX. 

We present in Fig, 23 first-floor plan, and in Fig. 24 
perspective view, of an extensive farm residence and barn, 
that we think are very complete in their appointments 
throughout. 

Scattered far and wide over the land, we now find a 
great many elegant and comfortable homes among the farm- 
ers, the majority of whom, not many years ago, commenced 
life with very little of this world's goods. Some, settling 
down in the dense forests, and others on the broad prairies, 
have by their own indomitable perseverance and energy 
and the strength of their arm, swept away the fore-sts, and 
turned into flowering fields the desolate wilds of the prairies, 
where tall grasses were shaken by the morning winds, or 
trodden beneath the feet of the wild beast. 

The fertile soil produces such abundance that it has been 
said that America could feed the nations of the world if 
necessity should ever require it. We all know full well the 
mighty power that lies in the tillers of the soil; and it is 
with pleasure that we note their enterprise in erecting beau- 
tiful homes and comfortable farm buildings where they can 
enjoy the fruits of their labor. 

The following is the description of the plan of rooms and 
out- buildings, accompanying the elevation: On first floor, 
1, 1, porches; 2, 2, vestibules; 3, hall, 8 ft. 4 in, wide; 4, 
sitting-room, 15x15 ft.; 5, parlor, 15x15 ft.; 6, library, 9x15 
ft.; 7, dining-room, 15x18 ft.; 8, kitchen, 13x24 ft., includ- 
ing stair-way to cellar, a milk-room being underneath 
kitchen in basement; 9, pantry, 6x12 ft. ; 10, wash-room or 
laundry, with arch, kettle, back staircase, etc. ; 11, 11, water- 
closets; 12, open shed, 29x24 ft. 



AN EXTENSIVE FABM RESIDENCE. 137 

On the second floor is a balcony over each of the porches, 
a hall extending through the middle of house over the one 
below, six large sleepiag apartments, ample closet ac- 
commodation to each, linen closet, and bath-room opening 
off from the hall, and in the rear part, two servants' rooms 
of good size. 

Plan for barn : Cattle stable and root cellar in the base- 
ment; A, A, floors, 13 ft., with scaffolding overhead; B, 
threshmg floor, 26x38 ft. ; C, grain bag, 32x38 ft.; D, D, 
hay mows, 26x48 and 36x42 ft. ; E, granary, 15x24 ft. ; F, 
room for large tools, 16x24 ft. ; G, G, passages from one barn 
floor to the other, 6 ft. wide and 7 ft. high ; H, tool room, 
12x24 ft.; J, feed room, 11^x12 ft.; K, harness room, 
12x14 ft.; L, horse stalls, 5 ft. wide; M, M, box stalls, 
12x12 ft. ; N, hog-pens, with run-way under the floors to 
manure pit in the basement under horse stalls; O, cook- 
room with arch, kettle, etc., 28x39 ft., including the hog- 
pens; P, hennery, 13x23 ft.; R, chute for straw to bay in 
basement ; S, S, hay chutes ; V, V, ventilation. Such is the 
arrangement for the barn and its accessories. 

It is not only most gratifying to have good buildings and 
things made convenient for the care and protection .^i the 
live stock, farm implements, and produce of the farm, but 
it pays to have these things well cared for. Regarding the 
cost of such a series of buildings, it is not easy to make an 
estimate, from the fact that much that is needed on one 
farm can be dispensed with on another of less size. 



(IxHJ^F^a^KR XIX. 



AN" ELEGANT BRICK RESIDENCE. — COMFORT AND BEAUTY 
COMBINED. — DESCRIPTION OF PLAN, MATERIALS, AND 
CONSTRUCTION. — DESIGN XI. — A MODERN VILLA. 



^ DESIGN X. ^ 

UR illustrations, Figs. 25 and 26 are the first 
floor and perspective of an elegant brick resi- 
dence, designed by the author and erected in 
Detroit at a cost of five thousand dollars. It 
illustrates in a striking manner the advantages 
of brick over stone as a material for building, 
foi- by its use any desirable rectangular form 
can be secured without the expense of cutting 
and fitting, as is the case in stone work. 

This building makes a very imposing and 

picturesque appearance, and the arrangement of 

the rooms is such as to secure the admission of sunlight and 

to afford an excellent view of the street from the principal 

I'ooms. 

The foundations, laid of stone, are 18 inches thick, with a 
cellar 7 feet in the clear, extending under the entire house. 
The laundry, which is situated in the cellar under the 
kitchen, is supplied with three laundry tubs, hot and cold 

[138] 




^.V ELEGANT BRICK RESIDENCE. 139 

water, and a water-closet; and under room E of fir,st floor 
is the vegetable room, opening from the laundry. The re- 
mainder of the cellar is occupied by the heating furnace, 
fuel, and store-rooms, the furnace being bricked in and hav- 
ing hot-air pipes extending to the three main rooms and hall 
on first floor, and to the chambers and bath-room on second 
floor. Under and around the house is laid a complete sys- 
tem of drainage-pipes, and the floor of cellar is laid with 
concrete. 

The plan of the first floor is shown in Fig. 25 : A is the 
portico, extending around the curved platform and connect- 
ing with the veranda O, making a fine double entrance by 
one flight of steps. Black- walnut doors of a pleasing design 
open into the hall B, 9x18 ft., from which, at P, ascends 
an elegant landing-stairs finished in butternut and black- 
walnut, the newel post being square and of an unique 
design, with a rail of butternut neatly cut and molded. 

The parlor C, 13^x18 ft., is so constructed as to give it 
the appearance, in front, of a bay-window the whole width 
of the room. This is a very pleasant feature, both of the 
parlor and the room above, as it gives, to one standing in 
the front of the room, a view of the street in both directions. 
D is the back parlor, or sitting-room, 13|xl6 ft., opening 
from the rear of which is a toilet-room L, containing wash- 
basin, with hot and cold water, and a closet, and K, a clothes 
or general closet. 

The dining-room E, 12x16 ft., is reached by side en- 
trance, hall, or rear parlor, and the three main rooms and 
hall are easily thrown into one grand reception-room, by 
means of broad, sliding doors that run on tracks overhead, 
thereby leaving nothing in the way of carpets extending 



140 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 




Fig. 25. 




Fig. 26. 



AN ELEGANT BBIGK RESIDENCE. 141 

throughout these rooms. Each of these rooms is provided 
with a grate and elegant mantles of slate. 

Connecting with the dining-room is the kitchen H, 
12x16 ft., from which opens a commodious pantry G, stau-- 
way I to cellar, rear stair-way J to second floor, outside 
entrance N to basement, and the china-closet M. 

A cut of second floor is not necessary, as it is arranged 
similar to the floor below, excepting that a hall four feet 
wide runs from front to rear, giving direct communication 
to all the chambers; and the bath-room, fitted up with 
copper-lined bath-tub, a wash-stand, and a best Alexander 
water-closet, is located over toilet-room L. Each chamber 
is supphed with a closet, and a large linen-closet with 
shelves and drawers is placed over rear stans. 

■ The front hall on this floor extends from front window 
over portico to the window at head of rear staircase. This 
arrangement secures a free circulation of air through the 
hall and rooms when desired. 

The attic, which is reached by a narrow, inclosed stair- 
case over the main stairs, can be flnished into three good, 
comfortable rooms. 

The windows are trimmed with best Ohio buff" sandstone, 
and the brick-work is stamed and the joints penciled black, 
which arrangement shows to excellent effect. The roof is of 
best Pennsylvania black slate, cut a hexagonal pattern, laid 
over rooflng felt, and is one of the attractive features of the 
buildmg. Iron cresting and finials of pecuhar design 
ornament the ridges of main part of roof, and the cresting, 
portico, and veranda are of wood. 

By referring to the perspective view, it will be seen tha 
the front gable, forming the angles for the bay-shaped rooms, 



142 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

extends out over the front in the same manner as it would 
if the entire end were square. The projecting cornice that 
overhangs the angles is supported on two massive brackets, 
springing out from each angle and joining under the cornice. 

The front is filled with neat tracery, which, with the 
supporting brackets, verge-boards, etc., all combine to form 
an imposing front. 

It is not egotistical to say that this building possesses to 
a high degree the requisites of convenience and comfort, 
with no small degree of taste, for the amount of money re- 
quired in its construction. We commend it to all who wish 
a house of like cost and accommodations. 



DESIGN XL 



Our illustration is a perspective view of a fine suburban 
villa of ample dimensions. The plans and specifications of 
such a residence should be made by none but the best archi- 
tects, and those contemplating such a house will of course 
put its construction into none but the best hands. 



iS^^^^$* 




(!lMj^Fa-KB^ XX. 



HOW TO BUILD A SUMMER COTTAGE. — CHEAP, BUT ATTRACT- 
IVE HOUSES IN THE HOT SEASON. — HOW TO BUILD A 
RUSTIC ARBOR. — A FEW SUGGESTIONS ON BEAUTIFYING 
THE SURROUNDINGS WITH LITTLE EXPENSE. 




o>«o 



S the warm season approaches, many persons, es- 
pecially those in cities, are anxious to retire to 
some spot where they may escape the heat. 
Many go to the fashionable watering places, 
some to private boarding houses in the country, 
and not a few camp out by some lake or stream. 
Generally such persons are able to bear the 
expense, and have a summer-house on a lot 
owned or controlled by themselves, located near 
some lake, bay, or stream, easy of access to the 
outside world, but far enough away to escape its 
anxieties. To such we offer a few suggestions. 

We will suppose that a summer cottage for a family of 
four is to be constructed. We must have two rooms on the 
first floor, and the same number above for sleeping apart- 
ments. The plan and dimensions will be as follows: The 
house will be 13x25 ft., making the front room 12x12 ft., 

[143] 



144 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

the back room, 10x12 ft. for dining-room, with a staircase 
between, 2^ ft. wide, the space under staircase being used 
for a pantry. The same arrangement of rooms on second 
floor will answer. The roof can be extended out four feet 
over the front, and a veranda constructed for first floor, the 
roof of which will serve as a balcony to front sleeping 
apartment. 

In the rear of house, we would construct a cook-room, or 
kitchen, with shelves in corners, 10x10, with a shed roof 
attached to main building. We now have the plan of the 
house, let us consider kind, quality, and cost of materials. 

The structure will require thirteen foundation posts, 7 
in. in diameter and not less than 5 ft. long; set four posts 
on the long sides, one in the center of eaoh end, and three 
for the kitchen, costing not over $2.60. Lumber for the 
building will be required as follows: 2 sills, 6x6 in., 25 ft. 
long; 3 sills, same size, 13 ft. long; 38 studding, 2x4 in., 
14 ft. long; 14 studding, same size, 13 ft. long, for plates; 
22, studding 12 ft. long, for kitchen walls and rafters; 34 
pieces, 10 ft. long, for rafters and gable ends; 22 pieces, 
2x8 in., joists for first floor, same number, 2x6 in., for sec- 
ond floor, all 13 ft. long; 6 pieces, 4x4 in., 9 ft. long, for 
veranda posts; and 7 pieces, 2x8 in., 10 ft. long, for floor 
joists of cook-room. This includes all the framing lumber 
required in the frame-work, and is not more than two 
thousand feet board measure, which would cost $15.00 per 
thousand, or $30.00 

The covering boards for the outside walls should be of a. 
good smooth quality of what is usually termed "barn 
boards," planed on both sides and applied vertically, and 
the joints covered witli two-inch battens; 1300 ft. will ba 



PLAN OF SUMMER COTTAGE. 145 

required at a cost of $20.00. 700 ft. of roofing boards, 
planed on one side, sound but not necessarily free from 
knots, will cost $9.00. 5000 shingles for main roof and 
kitchen, at $4.00 per thousand, $20.00. The flooring, of 
pine or spruce, matched and laid in the ordinary way, 800 
ft., at a cost of $17.00. 

For the main cornice use a simple 12-inch projection on 
rafters, with a verge-board cut in a neat pattern for eaves 
and gables ; the rafters being planed no plancher will be nec- 
essary. The veranda is made by extending columns up to 
the roof with a railing of simple pattern around the upper 
floor or balcony. 

There should be at least two windows in front room, and 
the same number in the rear rooms, all of common, plain 
frames, with two-light sash, 24x36 inches. One door opens 
to each front room, one to veranda and balcony, one between 
two upper rooms, and one to kitchen, no door being neces- 
sary between the two main rooms below. Partitions between 
rooms of main floors are of plain matched material, and the 
staircase a box stairs, forming a pantry underneath. 

The foregoing includes in a general way the principal 
things needed for the cottage, and below are the figures 
giving approximate cost of material and erection: — 

Framing material, $32.00 

Covering boards, 20.00 

Roofing boards, 9.00 

Shingles, 20.00 

Flooring, 17.00 

Battens, 6.00 

Moldings, verge-boards, etc., .....* 15.00 

Windows all complete, 20.00 

10 



146 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

Doors all complete, $12.00 

Staircase and extra lumber, 6.00 

Painting — two coats, 20.00 

Labor of putting up the building, 50.00 

Contingent expenses, 10.00 

The whole cost need not exceed $240.00, and in many 
locahties it will come within $200.00. 

Hundreds of people can possess such a building for sum- 
mer use, to which they may retire and spend the " heated 
term " in the most pleasant manner. Certainly the expense 
is not so great as to deter people in comfortable circum- 
stances, besides the same amount would be spent in two 
summers, in boarding and other expenses, with far less real 
comfort. 

How TO Construct a Rustic House. 

Where there is anything like spacious grounds around 
a house, that can be used for a lawn, nothing adds more 
to the attractiveness of the out-door scenery than a cosey, 
rustic retreat, covered with climbing vines, whose leafy 
foliage forms a most inviting welcome to whoever may seek 
shelter from the scorching rays of the summer sun, and 
rest upon the rude seats within, A rustic summer-house is 
quite simple to build, and a great variety of forms can easily 
be made if the material can be readily obtained. Cedar is 
the best and can be found in most localities; but spruce 
will do very well where cedar cannot be obtained. If one 
lives in the country, and the material is to be cut in the 
woods, it should be selected, for the most part, from small 
trees or saplings as near of a size as possible. 

But a variety of sizes will be needed in trimming up, so 
that in cutting we may take some of both larger and 



A RUSTIC SUMMER HOUSE. 147 

smaller sizes. Trim off roughly, that is, cut the small limbs 
not close to the body of the tree. Now, for illustration, we 
will build a small arbor, say 8 ft. wide and 12 ft. long. Of 
course, in selecting our material we must know first what 
we are to build, and select certain parts for certain places. 

For the arbor we are considering, we must have six 
posts about 5 in. in diameter, one for each corner, and one 
in the middle of each side. These make our main supports 
for the superstructure. From the top of these carry across 
the eight-foot way stout poles and secure them in place; 
now on the top of the ends of these pieces we will extend 
pieces the reverse of the former and over the posts, thus 
making, as it were, the plates, which should extend over two 
feet at each end, the center pole extending parallel with 
pieces last mentioned, and of the same length; this center 
piece must be raised to the height of two feet above the 
others, and will rest on an upright piece set down upon the 
cross-pieces before mentioned. We now have the outline of 
our structure. The roof should be covered with poles two 
inches apart, extending over the eaves 2 ft. and joining in 
the center of the roof. The plates should be 9 ft. from the 
ground, and parallel with them, down 16 in. below, all 
around, place other sticks, and under the corners place 
braces. Between the pieces parallel with the plate, cut 
in cross-pieces close together, all around, and fill in the 
gables of the roof, pieces cut in any form that the taste may 
suggest. The sides and ends, except a three-foot opening in 
center of each end, must have a rail all around, three feet 
high, cut in between the main posts ; also a piece around in 
the same manner near the ground; then fill in this space 
under the rails in any form that may be desired, and on 
each of the two sides make a seat of the smaller poles. 



148 



OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 



This completes our description of one simple form of 
making a rustic summer-house. Very little skill is required, 
nor many tools; a saw, hammer, and sharp hatchet are the 
main ones that will be required, with plenty of tenpenny 
nails for securing the work. Of course a little good taste in 
arranging the forms of roof and trimming the same, may 
add much to its symmetry. Some of the many kinds 
of climbing vines should be planted and trained to spread 
their foliage over the roof, and we have the arbor complete. 

We have seen a very pretty rustic seat made by setting 
in the ground one large post and then from this building out 
like the bows of an umbrella for the roof, with seats all 
around the foot of the post. This makes a rather unique 
but attractive appearance. 

A great variety of rustic seats can be made to place 
around under trees and in shady woods, that will harmonize 
wifli the works of nature much better than an)rthing made 
from manufactured material, and which will not cost as 
much. 




ClMi^pa-RR XXI. 



ALTKRATIONS AND ADDITIONS. — OLD HOUSES MADE NEW. — 
CAUTION. — IMPROVING ROOFS AND GABLES. — REMODEL- 
ING WINDOWS, 




olOto 



I HEN any alterations or additions are contem- 
plated, they should receive the most careful 
consideration before the plans are put into ex- 
ecution; indeed, in many cases more study and 
good judgment are often required to success- 
fully carry out alterations so that the new work 
will harmonize with the old, than to plan a new 
building of equal magnitude. 

It not unfrequently happens that additions 
are made in such a way that they look mis- 
placed, and add nothing to the appearance of 
the building. Nor is this all; it should be more definitely 
known how much is to be done, and how much it is to cost, 
than is usually the case. Frequently the matter is simply 
talked over, and a carpenter set to work by the day to tear 
down and build up without any definite regard as to when 
or where to stop, one thing after another calling for further 
alteration until the cost may exceed that of a new house. 

(149) 



150 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

This is the experience of many, and should be carefully 
avoided by those whose means are limited, and whose tastas 
are sensitive; for cost what the additions may, there are 
always left reminders of the old house. Our advice, where 
extensive alterations are needed, is to tear down the old 
house, and utilize the material as far as possible in a new 
one. 

The services of an architect cannot be employed to 
better pecuniary advantage to the owner than in giving 
advice and making plans for alterations and additions; in 
fact, his servicas are almost, if not quite, indispensable in 
such work. 

Additions. 

In chapter XIII of this work will be found some practical 
illustrations of how additions can be made. If the house as 
originally built contemplated additions, little trouble will be 
experienced in the work, especially if the additions are in 
front and conceal the part first erected. The plan then 
■would be very much like a new house with fewer rooms. 

Bay- Windows. 

Bay-windows can usually be added to a house with 
good efiect and an increase of comfort to the inmates. 

The wall should be cut out the height and breadth de- 
sired, and the bay-window built out from the house. It is 
best to arch over the entrance to bay, as this separates the 
old ceiling from the new and counteracts the effect of con- 
trast of old and new work. 

If porticoes, verandas, cornice, verge-boards, or brackets 
are to be added, great care must be used to make the out- 



ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS. 



151 



lines of old and new work blend, as it frequently happens 
that such additions present anything but a harmonious 
appearance. 

It is frequently desired to increase the number of rooms 
by building wings or rear additions ; but unless a new front 
is added, the new must always be kept subordinate to the 
old. 




Fig. 28. 



If additions are to be made to brick buildings, the new 
wall must be joined to the old by cutting a vertical groove 
in the old wall four inches deep, and broad enough to receive 
the brick of the new wall, as when the courses of the new 
wall are locked into the old, brick for brick, there will in- 
variably be settlement enough in the neAV to break every 
brick at the point of intersection ; hence the reason for con- 
necting by a groove which admits of settling without 
breaking. The joints of courses in new work should be 
laid a little above the old to allow for settling. 



152 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

New Roofs, Gables, etc. 

If roofs need relaying, where the building is good, slate 
roofs may be put on over the old shingles to good advantage, 
using longer nails than usual to secure the slate. 

If the building is old-fashioned, a marked improvement 
can be made by taking off the roof and giving it greater 
pitch, running up the chimneys and giving them a grace- 




Fig. 29. 



ful finish, and putting in a front gable v/ith neat tracery 
and brackets. This plan can be carried out when a new 
roof becomes necessary, and its effect upon the general 
appearance of the building will be excellent, and if iron 
cresting is put on, so much the better. 



ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS. 153 

Improving Windows. 

The appearance of many good, substantial houses, espe- 
cially in the country, is positively ruined by the low, square, 
unsightly, small-light windows. This can be remedied at a 




Fig. 30. 

very light expense by tearing out the frames, cutting out 
from the top to the desired height for modern windows, and 
replacing the old many -light sash with new ones holding not 
more than four lights. The same treatment would improve 
many door-ways. 



154 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

The alterations that will be necessary depend largely 
upon the construction and surroundings, and further sug- 
gestions would be superfluous. The author, however, wishes 
to again caution all who would remodel houses against the 
too frequent result in which the same amount expended 
would have secured a good, comfortable, new house. 




Fig. 31. 

In the accompanying cuts are represented two very 
attractive designs of windows ; one has a neat canopy top 
with curved roof and verge-board supported on brackets on 
each side and forming a fine outline ; while at the bottom of 
the window is a small balcony projecting out from below 
the sill, with a railing round it, and this too resting on 
brackets. The whole combined makes a pleasing appearance. 



ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS. 



155 



The other cut, Fig. 32, has no canopy, but instead, a cap 
resting on brackets, while the casings on each side run down 
to the sill, forming a graceful outline. This also has a 
balcony similar to the other. 

The window first described. Fig. 31, could be used with 
good effect in the gables of many wood houses, in the second 
stoiy ; the other one is better adapted to a full second story 
where the top must come under a cornice, as it does not 
extend up so far. 




Fig. 32. 

A great variety of forms can be given in the treatment 
of windows; and in fact, aside from the main outline of the 
structure itself, nothing has more to do with the general 
efiect of the outside than the treatment of the windows. 

Where verandas come over windows, it is sometimes 
desirable to have swing sash, usually know as French win- 
dows, opening out from the rooms. These are very pleasant 



156 



OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 



in summer, but must be protected in winter by storm win- 
dows, as the swinging of the sash gives greater opportunity 
for cold to come in. 

Through the winter it is often economy to protect, with 
a double sash, windows that are exposed to the cold winds. 
This sash is made all in one piece, and fits over the outside 
casing, with a strip of narrow felt between this and the 
sash, and secured with long screws, the felt effectually keep- 
ing out the wind. 




(!lMi^jpomR XXK. 



OUTHOUSES. — SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS. — HOW TO 
HAVE ICE ALL THE SUMMER. — AN ICE-HOUSE PRESERV- 
ATORY. — PLAN FOR A CHEAP BUT EXCELLENT FARM 
AND CARRIAGE BARN. 



o:»:o 



T frequently happens that the outhouses of a 
farm, such as the ice-house, hennery, etc., re- 
ceive but little attention. 

Some farmers utterly neglect walks or step- 
ping-stones to the barns and other buildings, 
and content themselves to tramp through mud 
and snow, when a few hours' work would build 
a substantial walk from the odds and ends left 
in erecting the barn. Such conveniences really 
cost but a trifle compared with the benefit de- 
rived from them. 

IcE-HousE. 

An ice-house properly made will last a long time with 
but little attention; and in the country where ice is not 
supplied, there is no reason why the milk-house, meat pre- 
servatory, and ice-house should not be combined in one, 
especially where a running stream is not near at hand. 

[157] 




158 



OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 



Ice can be preserved in simple, double-walled houses, 
with the space between filled with sawdust, and the ice 
packed in closely and covered well with sawdust. The 




Fig- 33- 

accompanying engraving and description will, however, 
give a better idea of how to combine the ice-house and 
preservatory. 

The novel feature of this plan is the placing of the pre- 
servatory under the mass of ice, from which it is separated 
by the floor made of plates and galvanized iron. It is thus 



FARM AND CARRIAGE BARN. 159 

already filled with cold air of about the temperature of 34° 
or 36°. The temperature is communicated to the preserva- 
tory by the ice acting through the thin floor of iron plates. 
Fresh air may be introduced from the sides when desirable, 
and ventilation is secured in the direction indicated by the 
arrows, between the outer and inner walls. The iron floor 
slopes to the center, where the drainage is completed by a 
pipe. The outer wall is made of stone or brick, next comes 
an air-space eight inches wide, then a wall of boards filled 
in with sawdust. The current of warm air from below passes 
up the air-space, through holes into the chamber above the 
ice, and out at the roof. The rafters are double-boarded 
and sawdust placed between them and a four-inch air-space 
left between them and the roof ; this secures brisk circula- 
tion of air. 

If the ice-house is to be connected with the dwelling, the 
preservatory may be entered from the cellar by breaking a 
door-way through the wall ; if apart from the house, unless 
a side hill be available, some steps downward will be 
necessary. 

The ice-house should be wholly above ground, but the 
preservatory partly or entirely under, as shown by the grade 
lines on side of cut, 

Faem and Cabkiage Bakk. 

There are many farmers owning farms of from fifty to 
eighty acres, who often feel the need of a carriage bam, yet 
do not feel able to build one in addition to their other farm 
buildings. To such it is believed this design of a farm and 
carriage bam combined will be acceptable. 

The size of the main barn is 30x60 ft., comer posts 15 



160 



OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 



ft. high; the hnter or back part containing the stables and 
store-room is 15x68 ft., with corner posts 9 ft, high. The 
shed containing the pig-pen and hen-house is 8x32 ft., and 







bO 



8 ft. high. The grain and "water buckets in the horse stables^ 
are filled through sliding doors opening from the feed-room. 
The hay-racks should be of hard wood or iron, and filled 



FARM AND CABBIAGE BARN. 



161 



from the mow over the carriage room. The granary has 
capacity for three hundred bushels of grain, and the whole 
bam storage room sufficient for a farm of sixty acres. 



op 




The following is the descriptive reference to the cut: 
A, threshing and entrance floor, 16x30 ft.; B, carriage and 

11 



162 



OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 



■wagon room, 22x24 ft. ; C, mow, 18x22 ft. ; D, horse stables, 
15x22 ft.; E, feed-room, 7x12 ft.; F, stairs, with pump (•) 
under them; G, harness closets; H, H, H, hay racks in 
horse stables; I, I, I, I, grain and water buckets; T, store- 
room, 15x21 ft.; K, tool-closet; L, work-bench; M, passage- 
way, 4x30 ft. ; N, granary, 8x22 ft. ; O, cow stables, 15x20 
ft. ; P, P, P, P, mangers ; R, pig-pen ; S, sleeping-room ; F, 
feed-trough; U, hennery; V, feed-box; W, perches for 
hennery. 




LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 

©ENERAL RULES AND OBSERVATIONS APPLICABLE TO THE 
IMPROVEMENT OF SMALL LOTS FROM ONE-SIXTEENTH 
TO ONE-HALF ACRE IN AREA. — ERRORS OF COMMON OC- 
CURRENCE. — STYLE OF GARDENING. — EXPOSURE AND 
LOCATION. — GRADING AND TERRACING. 




0:^0 



EFORE entering upon details as to the best 
methods of improvement, and as a fruitful source 
of awakening attention to the subject, it has 
seemed best to enumerate some of the more no- 
ticeable faults, most of which may be seen upon 
any street of half a mile in length in any but 
the most wealthy portions of our cities and vil- 
lages, in the hope that the reader may the better 
analyze his premises, if already improved, or 
guard against these defects when about to make 
for himself a home in the future. Chief among 
these faults may be named the following — 



Errors to Be Avoided. 

1 . Houses too near the street. 

2. Too many trees inside the yard. 



[163] 



164 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

3. Too much shade about the house. 

4. The use of improper trees, considering the style of 
architecture employed, as well as the use of such trees as 
have the disagreeable habit of suckering, or sending up 
sprouts, or that produce unsightly blossoms, or food for 
"horrid worms," as ladies say. 

5. The use of improper colors upon fences and build- 
ings, — colors that do not harmonize with each other, nor 
with the things that nature furnishes in that locality. 

6. The want of care necessary to keep a place tidy and 
neat. 

7. The destruction of lawns by the use of too many and 
too great a variety of things in small places. - 

8. The use of too many styles of fence upon the same 
block, out of proportion as to parts, some having too small 
posty, some being too low, others too high, together with 
numberless other defects, which we shall mention in connec- 
tion with each subject of which we shall speak hereafter. 

How TO Begin. 

But lest the want of space forbids our going suffi- 
ciently into details upon all these topics, it may not be amiss 
to remind the reader that imitation is one of the most fruit- 
ful sources of advancement. Look about you, and when 
you see a thing that looks pleasing and tasty and suited to 
your means, strive to copy it. Take notes and measure- 
ments in detail, for it is the minute features that produce 
the perfect whole. Do not allow yourself to guess at the 
size of a fence post or the height of the fence, the width of a 
walk, or the distance trees are planted apart, etc., etc., unless 
you know your taste is good in regard to such matters. 



IMPROVING SMALL LOTS. 165 

Many a man can appreciate good music, still he may not be 
able to utter a musical sound; and so in the adornment of 
homes, most can admire, but few can create them independ- 
ently, and hence must be governed by rules or samples. 

Or, better still, if you are able, get some person skilled 
in such things to furnish a plan, or at least give some sug- 
gestions that you may profit by when improvements are 
commenced. 

Things to Be Attained. 

The improvement of city or village lots that do not ex- 
ceed a half -acre in extent is quite a simple, easy matter 
if you have carefully noted all the errors spoken of in the 
preceding pages, so that you are sure not to commit any of 
them, in which case, the work is already half done. 

Simplicity and Neatness 

Are the two main things to be sought in these little places, 
and since they can only be considered as one part or feature 
of larger places, no attempt to embody everything that 
could be attained upon a lot containing five or more acres 
will ever give pleasure or satisfaction within the limits of a 
small lot. The best that can be done is to secure one fine 
piece of lawn; a few choice flowers, not attempting to raise 
all that are named in the floral catalogues ; and a few very 
fine, small growing trees and shrubs, in place of those of 
larger growth that are suitable for extensive lawns, together 
with only such walks as are necessarily traveled in going to 
and from the house to the approach, out-buildings, or flower 
garden, if one is kept at all; this last being of doubtful 
propriety within such narrow limits. Hence, use only small 
ornaments for small yards, and thus form a picture peifecb 



166 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

in all its parts, but taken in miniature. But at present we 
will consider some things that more properly come first. 

Style of Gardening Used. 

In general, only the "formal " or "geometric " style can 
be applied within narrow limits. There is no room to make 
curved walks and flowing outlines, rockeries, cascades, lakes, 
and other things that belong to the natural style. A mixed 
style might properly be adopted upon a good-sized lot, pro- 
viding care is taken in locating the house and out-buildings, 
having a side entrance to the former, and having the latter 
so placed in the rear that a curved walk could be started 
from the proper place for an entrance to the yard, passing 
the door of the house, thence on toward the places that it be- 
comes necessary to visit about every home. No abrupt turns 
would be admissible, for nothing of the " picturesque " can 
ever be tolerated here, not even rough rustic chairs and 
things of like nature. On account of their nearness to the 
dwelling, all architectural ornaments or manufactured arti- 
cles should conform to, and be in harmony with, the style of 
the house, which is the leading feature in these small lots. 
It may be laid down as a general rule that things brought 
into close contact should either produce harmony of design 
by happy contrasts, the one being a natural and the other 
an artificial object, or else be of similar nature and the same 
style. Do not use gothic vases and other architectural orna- 
ments in connection with a house in Grecian or Roman style. 

The Exposure or Location. 

Of course we do not expect all can obtain the most de- 
^iirable places, and many of the readers have already pur- 



THE EXPOSURE OB LOCATION. 167 

chased and perhaps built; but it is proper to speak of these 
features, and then each can apply them so far as his purse 
or premises will allow. 

First, then, in cities or villages where the streets are sure 
to be graded sooner or later, a medium elevation should be 
selected, being most likely to conform best to the level of the 
grade of the street when established. Of all locations, a 
southeast corner lot in the block is the most desirable, con- 
sidering the means of access to barns, out-buildings, etc., and 
the bringing in contact of the most protected, or least in- 
clement sides of the hou,se for an entrance, and the most 
easily sheltered portions of the grounds for a lawn or 
ornamental purposes. Next to this would be the corner 
opposite on the south, being the northeast, which does very 
well by placing the house near the road on the north, and 
having a bay-window or veranda opening toward the south 
ide, where the lawn should be, as before. Next to these 
two, we would choose an inside lot on the west side of the 
north and south road, or the north side of the east and west 
road. But should you be so unfortunate as to get the less 
desirable locations, it might justify more planting for shelter 
in front, and perhaps pure white houses with green blinds, 
together with a location less distant from the street than we 
shall recommend in our directions upon thac subject, mak- 
ing the ornamental part of the yard partly to the warm 
side, oi even behind the house if desired. 

Of course, good neighborhoods, good views, nearness to 
churches, schools, and places of business, although not 
strictly belonging to the subject of ornamental gardening, 
should always be considered, as also good water, means of 
drainage, distance from noisy, smoky, or unheal thful man- 
ufacturing establishments, or cess-pools, etc. Get started 



168 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

right if possible, and then half the work is saved; verifying 
the adaofe, "Well beo-un is half done." 

The Style of House to be Built, 

Although not properly belonging to this subject, needs great 
care in its selection. Nothing in ornamental gardening can 
ever- atone for a poorly designed house. So, if possible, 
consult your architect and gardener together; and if you 
can afford neither, you had better borrow such features as 
you hnd in works upon architecture, like the one in hand, 
using them as your pattern and guide rather than trust 
you I own poor taste, if such only you possess. 

The Distance of the House from the Road. 

This depends much upon the style or size of the house, 
and more upon the shape of the lot, which should properly 
be twice as long as wide. It is also quite important to con- 
sidei the views to be obtained or obstructed by surround- 
ings. In general, all the houses in a block should front on 
the same line, and the center of the house should be placed 
back from the street one-fourth or one-third the length of 
the lot, the distance being increased with the increased 
width of the lot, providing the lengths are the same, as is 
usually the case in cities and villages. Upon a lot ten rods 
long, this brings a house that is thirty-three feet long, from 
twenty-five to thirty-five feet from the road, the shorter dis- 
tance being about the least admissible in such sized lots, espe- 
cially if all owners on the block can agree. And between these 
distances, the economic use to which you might desire to 
put your back yard, or the ornamental use to which you 



IMPROVEMENTS. 169 

miglit wish to devote your front yard, must determine each 
case. 

Then, too, if your lot is verj'- high above the grade, pru- 
dence would dictate not to use the less distance, but rather 
to increase the greater distance, thus giving less pitch per 
rod from the house to sidewalk. The pitch should in no 
case exceed one foot to the rod, not more than half thi& 
being desirable; and even then the surface should be a little 
full near the center, giving it a slight convexity, which in- 
creases the apparent breadth of lawn. 

Means of Improvement. 

The first thing to be done upon a new place is to secure 
perfect drainage for cellar and surplus waters, and the next 
is to mark out your necessary 

Roads and Walks; 

But as we have occasion to speak of these more fully under 
the head of large places, the details being the same in both, 
we will proceed to the 

Grading and Terracing. 

In case the pitch is too great from the house to the 
street, or in other places upon the premises, it will be neces- 
sary to terrace; and when this is done, let it seem to be a 
part of the house, being parallel with it, and supporting the 
same at every turn when near to it, or parallel with the 
fence when near to the road. Let the banks be smoothly 
cut, and neatly sodded with the finest June or blue 
grass sod that can be procured from some adjoining road- 



170 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

side or pasture, not coarse timothy, clover, or dandelion sod. 
The same kind should be used in strips about eight inches 
wide for marking the borders of drives and walks, and be 
well pounded down with the back of the spade, and kept 
well watered during dry weather. Give the face of the ter - 
race sufficient slant to keep it from falling down, and a 
concave rather than a convex face, which last does not 
look nor stand well. It would hardly seem proper to resort 
to terraces unless there is an incline above a foot to the rod 
in distance. 

As regards the grading of the general surface, it is often 
advisable to plant the ground to some spring hoeing crop, 
— potatoes are best, — thus giving the old sod time to decay, 
making it much easier to level down smoothly in the fall, 
which of all seasons is the best for such work. Fill up all 
abrupt depressions, making the general surface smooth and 
even, with good descent for drainage. 

Formation of Lawns. 

As lawns constitute the chief charm in all small grounds, 
great care should be taken in their formation. Dig the 
ground deep and apply plenty of fertilizers in the form of 
rich loam, not clay alone unless the soil is too sandy, nor 
sand alone, for it will not hold moisture nor sustain lux- 
uriant vegetation ; but use both together, or more of one or 
the other as there seems to be need. Apply also a good 
quantity of composted muck if needed, and a generous supply 
of manure as free from weeds and the coarser kinds of grass 
seed as possible. Composting one season and turning often, 
will greatly improve barn-yard manure, and mixing it thor- 
oughly with the muck or road dust is better still. After 



FORMATION OF LAWNS. 171 

the ground is leveled and the prepared manure applied, rake 
thoroughly with a fine-tooth iron rake, removing all chunks, 
sticks, stones, sods, etc., which may be buried in the ground 
or removed. 

After this let the ground settle awhile, through a heavy 
rain if possible; and then, after agaiu raking the entire 
ground over and making the surface smooth and even, sow 
evenly a mixture of equal parts of June or Kentucky blue- 
grass and redtop seed, with a little sweet-scented clover, 
not more than a pound to three bushels of the other two. 
Use this mixture at the rate of one quart, or a little less, to 
the square rod of surface. Sow early in the spring or in 
September, and about July commence mowing to kill the 
weeds; and if dandelions, thistles, or other perennial weeds 
are seen, dig them out with a garden trowel. Now, by mow- 
ing once in a week or two, rolling, and during dry weather 
sprinkling occasionally, you will soon have the greatest or- 
nament that can be obtained near a house or made to adorn 
small premises. 

A More Permanent Lawn, 

One that will not be parched and dry during the droughts so 
common in our climate in summer, may be formed by another 
method which is costly in the beginning, but will return a 
rich reward when once completed. This is made by " trench- 
ing," or turning all the ground upside down to the depth of 
two, or better, three feet; commence at one side by throw- 
ing out a ditch, then fill this by forming another of same 
width next to it, and so on until all the ground has been 
inverted, the first dirt thrown out being carried to fill the 
last ditch. Then by leveling, rolling, and forming a new 



172 



OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 



surface of rich soils, as at first directed, and sowing as before, 
you will have the most durable and perfect lawn that can 
be formed, and the cheapest in the end. But as most Amer- 
icans are too impatient for such work, we have given the 
quick way first, supplying the lack of moisture by artificial 
watering during periods of drought. 




mMM-^WMM -^-^WW^ 



SPECIAL FEATUKES. — DRIVES AND WALKS. — VARIETIES OF 
SHRUBS, TREES AND FLOWERS TO USE. — LAYING OUT 
AND MAKING WALKS AND DRIVES. — EASY METHODS OF 
LAYING OUT DRIVES. — GROUPING AND PLANTING. 



SPECIAL FEATURES. 



RIVES AND WALKS.— As we have before 
stated, the number, du-ection, and location of 
drives and walks are matters of the utmost im- 
portance, as these not only form convenient 
means of ingress and egress to the premises, and 
connect the points which must be so often visited 
about every house, such as the barn, gardens, 
out-buildings, etc., but also furnish the boundary 
lines for lawns, garden-patches, and other divis- 
ions of the premises. Therefore it becomes a 
matter of the utmost importance where these 
necessary features should be placed to make them at once 
convenient and useful, seeming to fall just where we need 
to go in following our daily pursuits, — a thing that no 
true economist should overlook. Still, they can be made 
"a thing of beauty," or at least, so as to enhance the 
more beautiful features, since they furnish a guide for cor- 

a731 




174 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

rect planting, which is the most difficult of landscape work. 
Not that we would set our trees and shrubs in regular 
order along the line of the drives, as would be eminently 
proper in the strictly "formal style;" still, at every turn, 
the one must be governed and made to support the other in 
an informal way; hence the importance of careful study in 
locating our walks and drives. No absolute rules can be laid 
down, since premises and their objects vary so materially. 

But first of all, great care should be taken in regard to 
the location of the house, for this in turn must govern all 
else. Next to this, as few walks and drives should be made 
as will meet the every-day necessities; for if too numerous, 
they are expensive luxuries which require constant care and 
attention to prevent their becoming nuisances, for such they 
will become when overrun with weeds and grass, while at 
the same time they greatly mar the breadth of lawn by 
cutting it up into small patches like a piece-work quilt. If 
the lot is small, the house very near the road, — ^less than 
twenty-five feet, — and the door in front, it will hardly be 
possible to do more than run a straight walk from the road to 
the door, turning by a gentle elbow curve and passing along 
the side of the house to the kitchen door, leaving a narrow 
strip of sod between the walk and house, and thence to the 
out-buildings in the same formal manner. 

Trees must be of small size, and planted so as to shut out 
views of an objectionable nature, but should never be close 
to the house. Use only nice flowering shrubs, such as the 
althea, deutzia, spirea, weigela, and nice roses on the 
warmer sides ; and azaleas, kalmias, and rhododendrons, all 
with numerous varieties, on the cold or northern exposures, 
near the dwellinsr. 



DRIVES AND WALKS. 175 

If you keep a horse or cow and have no alley m the rear, 
it will be necessary to put next to one side of the lot a 
straight drive leading directly to the barn, located at the 
back corner on that side. A slight raise in the turf on the 
side of the drive next to the house, together with a judicious 
planting of shrubbery, either of a strictly ornamental char- 
acter or of currants, gooseberries, etc., thus shutting out the 
view of the barn and gravel, may be desirable, thereby 
combining the useful with the decorative. 

Flowers require such time and attention as few people 
are willing to devote to them ; still, if the ladies can be in- 
duced to give their time, they can be made to add much to 
the beauty and attractiveness of the surroundings. Culti- 
vate those that are hardy, such as peonies, petunias, phlox 
drummondii, asters, zinnias, etc., putting only one kind 
in each of the small, oval beds cut out here and there in 
the lawn, or else use some high-growing plants in the center 
and low ones around the border of the beds, which should 
be raised a few inches toward the center. Select such colors 
as blend together nicely, and care for them well. A small 
evergreen makes a nice center-piece. 

Places of Larger Extent, with houses located as 
before directed, especially if the entrance is on the side, — a 
much more convenient plan, considering ease of access, the 
front door being replaced with a bay-window if frontage is 
favorable, — admit of a greater diversity of walks and 
drives; and these do not differ, only in width, the wider 
ones, above eight feet in width, being used for both purposes 
very properly. 

The first thing now to take into consideration is a con- 
venient place for an entrance. If your daily travels lead 



176 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

you nearly always toward a certain corner of your lot on 
the front, and your door is on the same side, you are fortu- 
nate ; for then it will be an easy matter to make your open- 
ing in the fence somewhat to that side of the front of the 
house. Passing through the fence at right angles therewith, 
very soon bear toward the nearest corner of the house, and 
before reaching it, again turn in the opposite direction, 
passing the entrance at right angles with it; thence continue 
the drive toward the barn, which should be located op- 
posite the street entrance, and toward the back corner of 
the lot, if not too distant; at the same time a return curve 
may be made, leaving the barn drive on an outward curve 
near the house steps and meeting the entrance drive in the 
same manner, having made a pear-shaped figure. If all 
this happens on the side opposite your best room, which 
should always be on the side of your house overlooking the 
finest, warmest parts of your pleasure-grounds, so much the 
more fortunate. Again, just where your entrance drive 
first turns, you can leave it in an abrupt manner in the 
opposite direction with a less conspicuous drive or walk 
which skirts that side of the premises, and makes its way to 
the barn, wood-yard, etc. This will obviate the necessity 
of passing the house when going on business, drawing feed, 
coal, etc. In case you have a corner lot or an alley in the 
rear, there will be less necessity for this last drive, since the 
barn may be placed on the road or alley, and easily reached 
from the outside. 

Again, in case there is need for often going in both di- 
rections after reaching the street, and your premises are 
sufficiently large, the house being fifty feet or more from the 
road, you can have two openings into the yard, about equally 



WALKS AND DBIVES. 



177 



distant from the house, and unite these by a curved drive 
which connects with the first-named drive where it turns 
nearest to the front corner of the house, as spoken of at first. 
This will make nearly a half circle of the drive connecting 
the entrances and passing the front of the house, which, in 









+ -»■ + ■*- -'^v 'A A 



V ^ \ 



Fig. 36. 

this case, may very properly have a front door opening into 
a hall, and also a veranda or open porch in place of the bay- 
window, which w^ould now properly fall on the side of the 
house next to the pleasure-grounds. 

As to the details necessary to form correct and pleasing 
curves, (not geometric ones in all cases, as some seem to 
think, and even give rules for forming), space will not per- 
mit me to explain fully A correct eye will stick a row of 



178 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

stakes through the center of the space intended for a walk 
or drive, and a measuring pole as long as the drive is wide, 
with a short stick nailed at right angles to the measure at 
its center, will determine the outside line of the walk, pro- 
vided the short crossing stick is kept in a line with the cen- 
ter row of stakes at every point measured, as shown in the 
figure. 

The same figure will also show the arrangement of the 
planting, which should not be in any formal order, but so 
placed as to appear natural and not to obstruct any views, 
while at the same time furnishing a pretense for turning 
just as we do. There are other methods, such as using 
measurements and making offsets from tangent lines, for 
which we must refer you to the more extensive works on 
this subject. One more, which is very easy to put in prac- 
tice if the ground is newly graded and raked, is to take 
your horse and carriage and start at the entrance and drive, 
in an easy, natural way, toward the points you wish to 
reach ; then make the return, meeting the first track on the 
outward bend, merging into it in a graceful manner, and pass- 
ing out. Then widen the track, by stakes stuck on each side, 
to the width of your drive, or let it remain as it is for a 
walk only. This is the easiest of all methods if you have 
a,ny idea of where you ought to drive. 

Making Walks and Drives. 

This should be done in as permanent a manner as your 
means will admit. There are many methods, but the same 
general principles govern them all; viz., thorough drainage 
underneath, and a hard, compact surface that will not cut 
Tip into ruts, nor f ui«iish dust or mud at any season of the 



DBIVJES AND WALKS. 179 

year. In order to accomplish this, you will need to dig out 
the dirt to the depth of one foot at least, using the same for 
filhng where needed and leaving the bottom with a gentle 
inclination toward the center if the drive is not more than 
twelve feet in width ; in this case a tile draia should be laid 
under this lowest line, following the course of the road. 
But in case the road is wider, slant the bottom both ways 
from the center toward the outside, and then under both 
these lowest points use tiers of tiles as before. The tiles 
should be put at least one foot lower than the bottom of the 
road-bed, and laid as directed in the article upon the im- 
provement of large places, the ditches being filled with 
gravel or other porous soil, in order to let the water drain 
off rapidly from the road above. 

The cheapest material with which to fill the lower part 
of the road-bed is probably cobble-stone, which should be 
laid smoothly and evenly over the bottom, and then covered 
with layers of broken stones, stone chippings, which may be 
bought sometimes very cheap, large gravel stones, oyster 
shells or other materials of similar nature, such as can be 
most easily procured in your locality. Fill in evenly, and 
finish with clean, coarse gravel to a depth of three or more 
inches, bringing the edges up to within two inches of the 
top of the sod border before spoken of, which should always 
form a border between the drive and the seeded lawn. The 
center of the drive or walk should be higher than the sides, 
having an elevation of about one-half inch to the foot in 
width from the side to the center, or four inches rise in a 
twelve-foot road. Each layer of material should be thor- 
oughly rolled, and the surface kept well and evenly raked, 
and freed from weeds. The margins of sod should be neatly 



180 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

trimmed several times during the season, keeping them on 
the original line, which may be preserved by driving a 
line of stakes on each side so that the tops will just come 
even with the sodding. There are several other features in 
connection with the making of roads, of which we have 
only spoken briefly, and which must be passed by in this 
brief treatise, referring you again to more exhaustive works 
on landscape gardening. 

Of this subject something has already been said in con- 
nection with other subjects; and since no small limits can 
do it justice, it may be as well to omit it as a separate 
topic, and glance at it in connection with the subjects treated 
of in the few remaining pages.. A very good means of in- 
creasing the breadth of lawn in small lots is to have no 
boundary fence between neighboring lots, especially along 
the front half of the lots. In this case, no little care should 
be exercised in the planting of trees between the two dwell- 
ings, by the judicious disposition of which we may shut 
out the view of our neighbor's house from the best win- 
dows and other points of view, and thus appear to' own a 
larger place than we really do. Even the entrances to 
two adjoining places may be combined in one so far as the 
starting point is concerned, with a saving of space, and no 
loss in effect. In case these methods are put in practice, it 
may be best to erect a high fence along the back half of the 
line, and then run a line of hedge or a grape arbor at right 
angles to this on the front end, reaching nearly from one 
house to the other, and separating the front views from the 
kitchen and other unsightly offices necessary to every house- 
hold. Of this, we shall speak again under the subject of 
fences. 



DRIVES AND WALKS. 



181 



A few words on the general location of plants: Except 
in strictly formal grounds, do not plant trees at regular 
distances along the walks, borders, etc., nor attempt to 
make one side exactly correspond to its counterpart. 
Neither go to the other extreme and scatter them indiscrim- 
inately over the premises, thus breaking up all the breadth 
of lawn and shutting out all desirable views. Give heed to 
the development of these last two features, which may be 
promoted by properly grouping trees of harmonious forms 
and shades, also by planting most thickly along the margins 
of the premises, especially on the sides where shelter is 
needed from cold winds, and in the turns of the walks and 
drives, as spoken of elsewhere. Leave open vistas from the 
best points of view to fine objects in the distance, or on the 
premises, and many a happy hour will take the place of idle 
melancholy. 




(!1fiaf»^rr ^-^"^^ 



TREE PLAXTIXG. — THE BEST TIME TO PLAXT. — HO"W TO 
PLANT. — REMOVING AND PLANTING LARGE TREES. — HOW 
TO SELECT. — A GOOD LIST. — CARE OF TREES AND SUC- 
CESS IN THEIR CULTURE. — FENCES. — KINDS AND THEIR 
STYLE. — HOW TO ]\L\.KE THEM ORNAMENTAL. 



o>»;o 



REE PLANTING.— All American gardeners 
agree, we think, in placing November and De- 
cember (if open) at the head of all other months 
for the planting of deciduous ornamental trees. 
To be sure, small trees and shrubs will do well 
planted in the spring, especially if the season 
proves not too diy, and proper care is taken 
to mulch the gi'ound, and thus prevent the di- 
rect rays of the sun from absorbing the moisture 
immediately about the roots. 

The conditions necessary to be observed may 
be noted in the following order: 1. Never remove a tree from 
a good soil and place it in a poorer one ; and in order to 
prevent this, the hole in which the tree is to be set, must be 
dug much larger than the tree, and then the extra space, 
up to a proper depth, filled with rich soil, or with 
I1S21 




TREE PLANTING. 183 

manure mixed witli the lower and most distant parts of 
the soil in the hole. 2. Do not put the manure in con- 
tact with the roots, nor set your tree too deep, for these two 
errors have caused more failures than all others. The 
deeper and wider you make the holes the better, even to four 
feet deep, and that much wider than the roots, filling the 
extra space with rich dirt, well packed down, in order to 
prevent the tree from settling when the rains come. 

In transplanting large trees, above three inches in diam- 
eter, a preparation must be made before freezing weather 
comes on in the fall. This consists in digging and prepar- 
ing the hole to receive the tree, as before, after putting in 
some extra dirt, which is to be removed before dropping the 
tree into the hole, and used in filling any extra space about 
the roots. Also dig a trench around the tree as deep as its 
main roots run, leaving a large ball of dirt attached to the 
roots. Shave the dirt down on top until the roots appear, 
to lessen the weight. Both the trench and the receiving 
hole should be filled with straw, leaves, or coarse manure, to 
prevent the ball of roots and the extra fiUing dirt from 
freezing down on the bottom. 

Time for Removing Trees thus Prepared, 

Now, if you have extensive planting to be done, and the 
above preparations are completed, you can wait until the 
ground is thoroughly frozen in winter, when the removal 
should be done, taking care not to bruise the trees, and leav- 
ing the ball of dirt as large as can be conveniently moved. 
If but few trees are to be removed, and the weather is favor- 
able, i. e., cold, freezing nights and warm days, some prac- 
tice moving the trees in the fall, early in the morning, after a 



184 OUB HOMES AND THEIE ADORNMENTS. 

crust has been frozen over the ball of dirt left about the tree 
dug around the day previous, and thus obviate the necessity 
of covering the dirt, which thaws out at midday, if left ex- 
posed on the surface near the hole. But where extensive 
planting is to be done, the first method should be adopted. 
Then in midwinter remove the filling, and dig down the bank 
on the most convenient side to such a slant as to admit a 
stone-boat or sled being backed under the tree, when tipped 
over in the opposite direction. In this way, trees a foot in 
diameter may be safely moved, if you apply force enough to 
move them. Another method of moving large trees is to 
use a wide, stout cart with a heavy tongue, which last is 
raised along side the body of the tree and bound fast, at the 
same time passing a strong chain under the ball of roots and 
over the axle of the cart, then pull the tree over with a long 
rope attached to the end of the tongue, after which, hitch a 
team to the root end, draw it to the new hole on planks, and 
lower as before directed. 

Before removing the tree, be sure and make some mark, 
either by cutting off a limb or peeling the bark from the 
body a little, always on the same side of every tree you re- 
move, the more easily to be remembered, by which you may 
know how the tree stood, and thus be able to place the same 
sides to the same points of the compass when you set them 
out. Some think this an unimportant point, while others 
lay great stress upon it. At least, it is a safe rule and re- 
quires little extra work; and indeed it would seem quite 
reasonable that the same side that had become acclimated to 
the rays of the sun or any class of winds should be best able 
to conform to their effects when transplanted in the same 
relative positions. As a general rule, the width of the roots 



KINDS OF TBEES. 185 

left should be as many feet as the tree is inches in diameter. 
After drawing the tree to its place, remove the filling and 
dirt TintLl to the right depth by measure, and then lower 
the tree carefully to its place, packing the dirt about the 
ball and using the rest of the filling for a mulch. 

For removing small trees or shrubs, and always for ever- 
greens, which are much more difficult to make grow, where 
the dirt is to be removed from the roots, damp days should 
be chosen; otherwise great care should be taken to cover 
and moisten the roots. Your success will also depend much 
upon the kind of trees chosen. 

Maples, elms, ashes, and most nursery-grown trees are 
<|uite tenacious of life; but oaks, hickories, chestnuts, and 
other deep-rooted trees must be handled with care. Some 
'^ut a circle about the tree, severing the roots some distance 
t'rom the body, or even dig a trench and fill with rich dirt 
sdx months before removal, causing many fine, fibrous roots 
to spring out. Never select tall, spindling trees, grown in 
deep shade ; but rather get good, healthy, stocky trees from 
the open fields or outskirts of the woods, where the sunhght 
and winds have had a 'chance to harden and acclimate them 
to the conditions with which they are likely to meet in 
your exposed lawns or roadsides. The land must be tho- 
roughly drained previously, so that no water will settle in 
the holes, for no success need be expected with most trees 
unless this is done, either naturally or by tiles. 

Kinds of Trees. 

Of the shaped trees, shrubs, and flowers to be chosen to 
accompany the various styles of architecture, we have already 
spoken several times, either by way of criticism or direct in- 
struction ; and since we have only attempted to improve small 



186 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

city places so far, where little can be done in the Fine of 
grouping, we can recommend no trees better suited to tho 
roadside than the different kinds of maples, which are up- 
right, hardy, beautiful trees. 

Elms are superb specimen trees, especially on low or 
level grounds, where there is plenty of room for their devel- 
opment; but for these small places, as before stated, trees of 
the second class in size are as large as can be used, and 
among these may be named the mountain Msh, catalpa, 
beeches, birches, lindens, dogwood, sassaf7'as, buckeye or 
horse-chestnuts, and in most locations, nothing is more beau- 
tiful at all seasons of the year than the common pepper- 
idge, among deciduous trees. And among the evergreens 
useful for small places, the Norway spruce takes the lead 
for either specimen trees or small groups, while the arbor 
vitce is best suited for ornamental fences or hedges, as it 
stands trimming well and thrives under almost any condi- 
tion, in shade or sunshine. Cedars also answer the same 
purpose very well. Evergreen barberry and the low, bushy 
juniper fill a needed want. 

But we must refer you to the woods or to a list of the 
trees that may be had almost anywhere, for want of further 
space. 



g-j^' 



~^^J«-'1F 




•-^Wj^' 



[187J 



m^MM-'^m:^:Ei w. 



CQagi^amb Liagb. 



THE CAUSE OF THE DEMAND FOR THIS KIND OF LACE. 
—HOW TO MAKE IT.— FULL DESCRIPTION OF EVERY 
KIND OF KNOT USED IN ITS MANUFACTURE, WITH 
ILLUSTRATIONS.— NEW KNOTS DESCRIBED.— HOW TO 
MAKE ALL KINDS OF DESIGNS. 

— ••<»— ^ .^.o..— 

LTHOTJGH the manufacture of Macrame 
lace has long been known, the difficulty of 
making it prevents its becoming common; 
for this reason it will always be in demand. 
Many lovely things can be made out of it — 
shopping bags, lambrequins for chairs, mantles 
and curtains; piano covers and tables are 
fringed with it. 

Materials. 

A patent lace desk, as shown in our illustra- 
tion, or an oblong cushion, made of strong material, filled 
with saw dust or bran, and stuffed hard. The desk, or 
cushion, is so light that it may be carried about, and rested 
on the knee or a small table while working. 

ri88i 




190 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS: 

Ordinary pins of two sizes are required if the cushion 
is used. Coarse or fine Macrame thread, depending upon 
the quality of the lace desired. This thread comes in all 
colors, and may be purchased at a dry goods store or ship- 
chandlers, Barbour Brothers' flax thread is now very popu- 
lar, as it does not soil so easy, and is much softer to work with. 

The process of making the lace is simply knotting the 
threads together so as to form pleasing patterns. 

The foundation lines, or threads, are double threads run- 
ning across the desk to which the leaders are attached. 
The number of these and their distance apart is governed 
by the pattern to be worked, but there are never less than 
two, as will be seen in Fig. 1. In using the oblong cushion, 
these lines are secured by the large-sized pins. Cut the 
threads the length of the pattern desired, or piece them. 

The threads which form the pattern are fastened to these 
foundation lines as below stated. 

A leader is the thread which is held firmly in the hand 
while other threads are being knotted on to it, and every 
thread of the pattern becomes a leader in its turn. 

In commencing a pattern with a heading like the ones 
given with Figures 1, 2, 3, etc., pin on the foundation line, 
take the thread you are to work with, pass the two ends under, 
pointing them up ; draw them over through the loop, draw 
up tightly; repeat to the end of the cushion. Put small 
pins between every four or six threads, just under the top 
foundation line. Pin on a second foundation line, and knot 
or loop each thread twice over it with the left hand. This 
loop is a simple button hole stitch, and is always worked as 
such. The lace should be held tightly, as it adds to its 
beauty. 



3IA CBAME LA CE. 191 

Figure 5 illustrates two leaves of three rows, and a raised 
picot. The leaves are the six knotted threads, one leaf on 
each side of the raised picot, which is seen in the centre. 

Description of Stitches. 




Single Chain, (Fig. 1.) — This simple knot is made with 
two threads, one of which is held straight in the left hand. 
Knot the other on to it once with the right hand ; hold this 
thread straight in the right hand, and knot the other on to 
it with the left. Kepeat. 



192 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS, 

Double Chain, (Fig. 2.) — Exactly like the single chain, 
but with four threads, using two threads each time instead 
of one. 

Open Chain, (Fig. 3.) — Take four threads, commence 
with the two at the left side, hold the first of these in the 
right hand as leader, knot the second twice on to it with the 
left hand, pass the*same leader to the left hand, knot the 
same thread as before twice on to it; take the next two 
threads, hold the first thread in the right hand as leader, 
knot the second thread twice on to it, pass the leader to the 
left hand, knot the same thread as before twice on to it, hold 
the leader still in the left hand, and knot the first leader 
twice on to it with the right hand ; knot the remaining 
thread at the left side twice on to it, leaving a loop before 
drawing it up tight. It would be well to observe that, in 
making this open chain, after the loops .are made, the leader 
is always passed into the other hand, and the thread knotted 
twice on to it. Pass the same leader back to the right hand, 
and knot the same thread twice on to it with the left hand. 
Then take up two threads at the right side, hold the under 
one in the right hand, as leader, knot the other thread twice 
on to it, leaving a loop as before. Pass the same leader to 
the left hand, and knot the same thread twice on to it. 
Hold the leader still in the left hand, and knot the leader 
at the left side twice on to it ; knot the remaining thread at 
the left side on to it, leaving a loop as before. Then pass 
the leader back to the right hand, and knot the same thread 
twice on to it. 

Solomon's Knot, (Fig. 4.) — The same number of threads 
are required as in making the open chain ; hold the two 
centre ones straiglft ; pass the thread at left side loosely over 
these. Take the thread at right side, pass it over the first 



MACRAME LACE. 193 

thread and under the centre ones, and up through the loop 
at left side ; draw it tight. Then take the right hand thread, 
pass it over the two centre ones loosely ; take the left thread, 
pass it over this, under the centre ones, and up through the 
loop at the right side ; draw it up tight to meet the first part 
of the knot. This forms one Solomon's knot. 

Eaised Picot, (Fig. 5.) — The raised picot is usually- 
knotted between two leaves. Select the four centre threads 
— two from each leaf — hold the two centre ones straight and 
make six Solomon's knots on to them ; pass the two centre 
threads down through the opening between the two leaves ; 
take one of these threads and knot it once to the thread at 
the left side, take up the other and knot it once to the 
remaining thread at the right side. 

Our illustrations, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, give a very good idea how 
to make this lace. 

Double, or True Lovers' Knot. — This knot can be 
made by two or more threads. Take the thread on the left, 
cross it over the right, bringing round in a loop. Then take 
the right thread, carry it round over the left, under and 
between the threads at top of loop, bring it over and take 
up the thread in the loop ; draw up tight as may be desired. 

Design for Working Fig. 6. — Pin on the straight lines 
in the usual way, after which fasten on the threads thus : Pass 
the two ends of each thread under the top line, pointing them 
up, then bring them through the loop, then loosen the second 
line, hold it in the right hand, and knot each thread twice on 
to it with the left hand. Then take two threads ; hold the first 
in the left hand, knot the other three times on to it with the 
right hand ; repeat this to the end of the desk. Then take one 
thread from each; hold one in the right hand, and knot the 
other on to it with the left hand ; repeat to the end of desk. 
13 



194 



OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 



Then loosen the third line at the right side, hold it in the 
tight hand, and knot each thread twice on to it t^ith the left 
hand. *Take the first six threads, hold the first thread in 
the right hand as leader, knot the five threads on to it with 
the left hand, each thread twice ; then make the second row 
of the leaf thus : — Hold the first thread at the left side again 




Fig 6. 
Threads for this Pattern one yard, three inches long. 



in the right hand, knot each of the five threads twice on to 
it with the left hand ; then take the next six threads, hold the 
sixth thread in the left hand as leader, and knot each of 
the five threads twice on to it with the right hand ; then 



MACRAME LACE. 195 

make the second row of the leaf by holding the sixth thread 
again in the left hand and knotting each of the five threads 
on to it with the right ; then hold the same thread as leader 
in the left hand, and knot the leader of the first leaf twice 
on to it ; then make the third leaf, hold the same leader still 
in the left hand, and knot the threads on to it with the 
right hand; then take the six threads and repeat for a 
second line; then take the six threads at the right side, hold 
the first of these (that is, the left side one) in the right hand 
and make the fourth leaf, knotting the threads on with the 
left hand ; repeat for the second line : repeat from * to end 
of the desk ; then loosen the fourth line, and knot each 
thread twice on to it in the usual way. 

The Scollop.* — Take eight threads, divide them into 
two parts; take the first four threads, hold the first thread 
in the right hand, and knot the three threads on to it with the 
left hand. Second row of Leaf. — Take the first thread again, 
hold it in the right hand and knot the three threads on with 
the left hand ; then take the next four threads, hold the 
fourth thread as leader in the left hand, and knot each of 
the three threads on to it with the right. Make the second 
row of the leaf in the same way ; hold the leader still in the 
left hand, and join the two leaves by knotting the leader of 
the first leaf twice on to it. Eepeat from * six times, then 
reduce it one in each row until the point is formed according 
to the engraving; then join the two leaders of the leaves 
at the point ; then take the first thread at the left side, hold 
it in the right hand as leader, and knot each thread three 
times on to it down the side of the scollop to form a con- 
tinuous line, then take the thread at the right side of the 
scollop ; hold it in the left hand, and knot each thread 
tliree times on to it with the right hand; then join the 



196 



OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS, 




Fig. 7. 
Length of threads to work with, two yards and a-half. 

two leaders by holding one tight and knotting the other 
twice on to it ; then take the first thread again at the left 



MACBAME LACE. 197 

side and make a second line, after which take the first 
thread at the right side, hold it in the left hand and make 
a second line ; repeat at each side to form a third line. The 
leader is always held at the top, and the threads underneath, 
after which the threads are held back, fastened down with 
needle and thread on the wrong side, and then cut close. 

Desi&n fok Working Fig. 7. — To make Picot heading, 
take two threads, hold the ends of them evenly together, pin 
them on cushion above the first leader, and make with them 
two double chains over the pin. Repeat to end of cushion. 
Loosen the leader, hold firmly in the right hand and knot each 
thread on to it twice with the left. To make the twist, take 
the first four threads and make eight knots, the same as the 
drst half of the Solomon's knot. Pin on the second leader, 
knot threads on it twice with left hand to end of cushion. 
Take the first two threads, tie in a double chain ; take the next 
thread in the left hand, and knot the two threads of double 
chain twice on to it with the right 5 take the next threads, 
make two double chains, then make double chain of the two 
threads you have just knotted over the diagonal leader; 
take the next thread in the left hand, and knot the four 
threads on it twice with the right ; repeat until you have 
six, or more if preferred, of the double chain knots in a 
diagonal row. When knotting the thread on the diagonal 
leader, leave off the last double chain or knot, pin on the 
third straight leader, and knot all the thread on it with the 
left hand ; make the twist, pin on the fourth leader, and 
knot threads on it to end of cushion. To make the point, 
leave off two threads, make one Solomon's knot of the next 
four threads, and repeat until you have six Solomon's knots j 
then, with the third and fourth threads of the first Solomon's 
knot, and the first and second threads of the second knot. 



198 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

make the first Solomon's knot of the second row, and repeat 
until you have five. Make four in the third row, three in 
the fourth, two in the fifth, and one in the last. Take the 
two threads that you left off at the beginning of the 
Solomon's knots, hold the second one in the right hand, knot 
the first one twice on to it, and then knot each thread from 
the Solomon's knots twice on to it, until you have knotted 
the twelve threads, or half the Solomon's knots, on the 
leader. Take the first thread on the left side, hold in the 
right hand, and knot the thirteen threads twice on to it with 
the left. Then take the first two threads at the right of 
Solomon's knots, hold the second one in the left hand, and 
knot each thread on it twice with the right ; take the first 
thread at the right, and knot all the threads on it with the 
right hand; fasten the two leaders together at the point, and 
make four Picots, the first one of the four threads at the 
point, the second of the first two threads of the Picot, the 
first two at left of Picot, the third of the last two threads 
of the first Picot, the first two at right of Picot, and the 
fourth of the four middle threads. Take the six threads 
from the Picots, and two threads from each side, divide in 
the middle and make the double or true lovers' knot, as 
already described. For the twist of the remaining threads, 
take the first four threads, make forty half knots in the first 
and fourth, and thirty-seven in the second and third ; take 
all the threads in the right hand but one, and knot the one 
twice on them with the left ; then take them all but one in 
the left hand, and knot the one twice on them with the right. 
Cut the tassel the desired length, and untwist each thread, 
as it makes the tassel fuller. A tassel can be hung between 
each point. One pattern can be used for a shopping bag, 
or the pattern may be repeated for a lambrequin, and tassel 
hung between each point. 



imMM.:^mMm MM^ 



K^NITTING. 



EXPLANATION OF TERMS USED.— SOME SPLENDID DESIGNS 
FOR KNITTED LACE, INSERTIONS, BORDERS AND EDG- 
INGS.— ILLUSTRATED DESIGNS AND DIRECTIONS FOR 
MITTENS, STOCKINGS, ETC., ETC. 




A.WY useful and beautiful articles are made 
from knitting silk. The designs are so numer- 
ous, that it is useless to attempt to give, in a 
work of this kind, more than some practical 
hints, and choice selections of the latest 
designs. 

Explanation of terms used for knitting. 



Cast off — This is done by knitting two 
stitches, passing the first one over the second, 
and repeat as required. 
Tto — Means thrown over as if about to purl. 
K — Means knit plain. 

'N — Is to narrow, and means to knit two stitches together. 
P — Means to purl or seam 
[199] 



200 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

S and B — Is to slip and bind, and means to slip one 
stitch, knit the next and pass the slipped stitch over. 

O — Means to throw thread over the needle, as if you 
were going to seam. 

S — Is to slip the stitch off without knitting. 

K3TG — Means knit three stitches together. 

02 — Means throw thread over twice. 

Fagot — Means over twice and^purl two together. 

No. 1. Lace Edging. Cast on 12 stitches, knit across 
plain. 1st row, o, k2, o, k2 together, k8. 

2d row, si, kl, o, k3 together, o, k2, k2 together, o, k4. 

3d row, o, k5, o, k2 together, k6. 

4th row, si, kl, o, k3 together, o, k2 together, o, k7^ 

5th row, si, k!, k2 together, o, k7. 

6th row, si, kl, o, k3 together, o, k3, o, k2 together, k2, 
k2 together. 7th row, si, kl, k2 together, o, k9. 

8th row, si, kl, o, k3 together, o, k5, o, k3 together, 
repeat from first row. 




No. I. 

No. 2. Antique Lace. Cast on 17 stitches. 

1st row, k2, o2, n, k4, o, n3 together, kl, o, kl, o, n, o, k2. 

2d row, o, n, p, all but last four, k those plain. 



KNITTING. 201 

3d row, k7, o, n3 together, kl, o, k3, o, n, o, k2. 

6th row, k2, o2, n, k2, o, n3 together, kl, o, k5, o, n, o, k2. 

7th row, k5, o^ n3 together, kl, o. k7, o, n, o, k2. 

9th row, k2, o2, ii, k8, o, n3 together, kl, o, n, o, n, kl. 

11th row, kll, o, n3 together, kl, o, n, o, n, kl. 

13th row, k2, o^, n, k6, o, n3 together, kl, o, n, o, n, kl. 

loth row, k9, o, n 3 together, kl, o, n, o, n, kl. 

4th, 6th, Sth, 10th, 12th, L4th and 16th rows like 2d row. 

No. 3 The Jewel Edge. Cast on ten stitches. 

1st row, k2, o, n, o, n, o four times, n, fagot. 

2d row, fagot, knit the stitches, purl the loops. 

3d row, k2, o, n, kl, o, n, k4, fagot. 

5th row, k2, o, n, k2, o, n, k3, fagot. 

7th row, k2, o, n, k3, o, n, k"i, fagot. 
. 9th row, k2, o, n, k4, o, n, kl, fagot. 

11th row, k2 o, n, k5, o, n, fagot. 4th, 6th, Sth, 10th like 
2d row. 

12th row, bind 3, take the stitch on the right hand needle, 
put it back on the left hand needle, fagot, k5, pi, k2. 

No. 4. Diamond Insertion. Cast on 19 stitches. 
1st row, k2, o, n k5, o, n, k8. 
2d row, k2, o, n, rest plain. 
3d row, k2, o, n, k4, o, n, o, n, k7. 
Sth row, k2, o, n, k3, o, n 3 times, k6. 
7th row, k2, o, n, k2, o, n 4 times, k5. 
9th row, k2, o, n, kl, o, n 5 times, k4. 
11th row, k2, o, n, k2, o. n 4 times, k5. 
• 13th row, k2 o, n, k3, o, n 3 times, k6. 
15th row, k2, o, n, k4, o, n twice, k7. 
17th row, k2, o, n, k5, o, n, k«. • 
4th, 6th, Sth, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th and 18th rows like 2d. 



202 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

Smyrna Lace. Cast on 20 stitches, knit across plain. 
1st row, k3, o2, kl, n, o2, kl4. 
2d>ow, k6, n, o2, kl, n, o2, klO. 
3d row, kS, o2, kl, n, o2, kl5. 
4tli row, k5, n, o2, kl, n, o2, kl2. 
6th row, kS, o2, kl, n, o2, kl6. 
6th row, k4, n, o2, kl, n, o2, kl4. 
7th row, kS, o2, kl, n, o2, kl7. 
8th row, k3, n, o2, kl, n, o2, kl6. 
9th row, k24 plain. 
10th row, kl5, n, o2, kl, n, o2, k2, n. 
11th row, kl3, n, o2, kl, n, o2, k5. 
12th row, kl4, n, o2, kl, n, o2, k2, n. 
13th row, kll, n, o2, kl, n, o2, k6. 
14th row, kl3, n, o2, kl, n, o2, k2, n. 
15th row, k9, n, o2, kl, n, o2, k7. 
16th row, kI2, n, o2, kl, n, o2, k2L n. 
17th row, k7, n, o2, kl, n, o2, k8. 

18th row, k20 plain When you knit back, drop one of 
the two loops and one of it. 

Smyrna Insertions. Cast on 23 stitches, knit across 
plain. 

1st row, kl2, o2, n, kl, o2, n, k6. 

2d row, same as first, the o2 through entire pattern 
makes on stitch when knitted and one dropped. 

3d row, kl3. o2, n, kl, o2, n, k5. 

4th row, same as third. 

5th row, kl4, o2, n, kl, o2, n, k4. 

6th row, same as 5th, 

7th row, kl5, o2, n, kl, o2, n, k3. 

8th row, same as 7th. 

9th row, kl6, o2, n, kl, o2, n, k2. 



KNITTING. 203 

loth row, same as 9th. 

11th row, kl4, n, o2, n, kl, o2, k4. 

12th row, same as 11th. 

13th row, kl3, n, o2, n, kl, o2, k5. 

14th row, same a^l3th. 

15th row, kl2, n, o2, n, kl, o2, k6. 

16th row, same as 15th. 

17th row, kll, n, o2, n, kl, o2, k7. 

18th row, same as 17th. Commence again at 3d row. 

Wide Lemon Seed Lace. Cast on 23 stitches, knit 
across plain. 

1st row, kS, o, n, k3, o, kl, o, k5, o, n, o, n, o 4 times, n, 
o, n, kl. 

2d row, k5, pi, kl, pi, kl, pi, kl, pi, kl3, o, n, kl. 

3d row, k3, o, n, kl, n, o, k3, o, n, k3, o, n, kl, o, n, If 4, 
o, n, kl. 

4th row, k8, pi, k2, pi, klB, o, n, kl. 

5th row, k3, o, n, n, o, k5, o, n, k2, o, n, k2, o, n, k3, o, n, kl. 

6th row, k7, pi, k3, pi, kl3, o, n, kl. 

7th row, k3, o, kStg, o, n, k'^, n, o, n, kl, o, n, k3, o, n, k2, 
o, n, kl. 

8th row, k6, pi, k4, pi, kll, o, n, kl. 

9th row, k3, o, n, kl, o, n, kl, n, o, k3, o, n, k4, o, n, kl, 
o, n, kl. 

10th row, k5, pi, kl, pi, kll, o, n, k3, o, n, kl. 

11th row, k3, o, n, k2, o, k8tg, o, k4, o, n, k5, o, n, o, n, kl. 

12th row, cast off three, k7, pi, kll, o, n, kl. 

Knitted Wristee. Cast on 63 stitches. 

1st row, o, n, k2, o, kl, o, k2, si, kl, pass s over; keep 
knitting in this way until you get around, then knit the 
same as before, only drop the loop before narrowing each 
time. Very handsome. 



204 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

Ladies' Fancy Silk Mittens. — Materials required : one 
ounce of Florence knitting silk, size No. 300, and five, !No. 19 
knitting needles. Cast on 82 stitches and knit one round 
plain. 




2d round, kl, o, kl, o, kl, o, kl, o, kl, o, kl, o, kl, p2; 
repeat until 10 stiches remain, then k8, p2. 



KNITTING. 205 

3d round, s and b, k9, n, p2 ; repeat until ten stitches 
remain, then k8, p2. 

4th round, s and b, k7, n, p2 ; repeat until ten stitches 
remain, then k8, p2. 

5th round, s and b, k5, n, p2 ; repeat until ten stitches 
remain, then k8, p2. 

As four rounds are required to complete each shell pat- 
tern, the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th rounds are a repetition of the 
2d, 3d, 4th and 5th rounds in the order named. This shell 
is repeated in the mitten, shown in the cut, 17 times, but if 
a longer wrist is desired, more shells can be added at pleas- 
ure. The twist pattern shown in the centre of the back is 
continued as follows, viz.: 10th and 11th rounds, same as 2d 
and 3d. In the 12th round, the last ten stitches are disposed 
of in the following manner, namely : Slip off the first four 
stitches on the fifth or extra needle, knit the next four, then 
the four from the extra needle, and purl the two stitches 
remaining to complete the round. This operation must be 
repeated in every 12th round up to point where the mitten 
begins to decrease to finish the hand. One shell stripe each 
side of the twist pattern is to be continued up to the same 
point. To make the thumb take three stitches for the base 
of the thumb, and purl one stitch each side of the three. 
In the next round, and in every fourth round thereafter, 
make two stitches for increase of width for thumb, at the 
same time continuing in every round the two purled stripes 
which outline the same, until you have twenty-seven stitches 
in the thumb exclusive of the purled stripes. The increase 
should be made next the purled stripes. In commencing 
the thumb, the stitches for this purpose must be so chosen 
as to bring the fancy work on back of mitten as near as 
possible to the centre of same. In the right hand mitten. 



206 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

the thumb is ou the left hand side of fancy work, and in the 
left hand mitten the reverse. When you have twenty-seven 
stitches in thumb, knit three rounds plain (except fancy 
back,) and at the end of the third plain round cast on four 
extra stitches. IsTow, slip the twenty-seven thumb stitches 
on a piece of twine, tie securely, and with remaining stitches 
continue the hand narrowing in each round once at the 
point where extra stitches were made until seventy-nine 
stitches remain. To finish the hand from point of decrease, 
when sufficient length has been obtained: Having seventy- 
nine stitches, begin at corner of needle, k7, n, k7, n, k7, n, 
k7, n, k7, n, k7, n, k7, n. Knit the rest of this round plain. 
2d round plain, 3d round, k7, n ; and repeat entirely around j 
then knit seven rounds plain. 

11th round, k6, nj repeat entirely around and knit six 
rounds plain. 

18th round, k5, n ; repeat entirely around, and knit five 
rounds plain. 

24th round, k4, n; repeat entirely around, and knit four 
rounds plain. Now, narrow once on each needle in every 
round until only four stitches are left on a needle, then 
narrow twice on each needle and bind off. When decreasing, 
once on each needle only, do not narrow at the same point 
in every round, but at a different place in each successive 
round. 

To finish thumb, place the twenty-seven stiches on the 
three needles and pick up four stitches from the base of 
gore formed between the hand and thumb by casting on the 
four extra stitches, knit once around and narrow once in 
each of the next four rounds at the point where the gore is, 
then knit fifty rounds plain and finish by narrowing once 
on each needle in every round, until all the stitches are dis- 



KNITTING. 207 

posed of. It will be noticed that the illustration shows the 
fiancy stitch continued to the tip of the hand, but as this 
adds nothing to its beauty, plain knitting is recommended 
from the point of decrease. 

Baby's Sock, with Imitation Slipper. 




Materials : f ounce pink, and h ounce white, 'So. 300 
Florence knitting silk, and four No. 18 knitting needles. ' 



208 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

With pink silk, cast on to each of these needles twenty- 
four stitches, making seventy-two stitches; purl three 
rounds, and knit three rounds plain. 

Commence the open-work pattern (which is in twelves 
and is repeated six times in each round), and knit as follows 
with the white silk, viz : 7th round, n, n, tto, kl, tto, k2, tto, 
kl, tto, n, n, repeat. 8th and 9th rounds plain. 

Eepeat these three rounds until you have done 56 rounds 
of the white open work. Knit all of the 57th round plain 
except the last seven stitches, which transfer from the third 
needle to the first needle, also seven stitches from the second 
needle to the first needle. 

Having thirty eight stitches on first needle, commence 
knitting in rows, instead of rounds, for the instep (leaving 
the heel until later), as follows, viz: 

1st row, si, *n, n, tto, kl, tto, k2, tto, kl, tto, n, n, repeat 
from *, end with kl. — 2nd row, si, purl 37. — 3d row, si, k37. 

4fch row, si, *p2 together, p2 together, tto, pi, tto, p2, 
tto, pi, tto, p2 together, p2 together, repeat from *, end with 
pi. — 5th row, si, k37. 

6th row, si, p37. Eepeat from the 1st row to the 6th row 
inclusive, until you have done thirty rows, all with the 
white silk. 

Leave the first needle in the instep, and with pink silk 
cast on to your fourth needle fourteen stitches extra (these 
are for one of the straps to the slippers), knit with same needle 
the thirty-four stitches from the second and third needles in 
the order named, and cast on fourteen more new stitches for 
the other strap to slipper. You have now sixty-two stitches 
for heel and straps, which work in rows 

1st row, knit plain. — 2d, 3d, 5th and 6th rows purl. 

4 th row, k2, tto, n, repeat until two stitches remain, 
which knit. — 7th row, knit plain. 



KNITTING. 209 

8tli row, cast off 14 stitches, k48. 

9th row, cast off 14 stitches, p34. 

10th, 11th, 14th, 17th, 18th, 20th, 21st, 24th, 27th, 28th, 
30th, 31th, 34th and 37th rows, si, k33. 

12th, 13th, 15th, 16th, 19th, 22d, 23d, 25th, 26th, 29th, 
32d, 33d, 35th and 36th rows, si, p33. 

38th row, si, k22, s and b, turn. 

39th and every alternate row, up to and including the 
57th, si, pl2, p2 together, turn. 

40th and every alternate row, up to and including the 
56th, si, kl2, s and b, turn. 

Next pick up on the left side of heel 16 loops and purl 
the same as part of the 57th row. Turn, kSO, and pick 
up on the other side of heel 16 more loops and knit as part 
of 58th row, 

59th row, klO, pl4, kl4, n.— 60th row, pi 5, kl4, pl4, p2 
together. — 61st row, p42, p2 together. — 62d row, k41, n. 

63d row, p40, p2 together.— 64th row, pl3, kl4, pl2, p2 
together. — 65th row, kl3, pl4, kll, n. — 66th row, k37, n. 

87th row, p36, p2 together. — 68th row, k35, n. 

69th row, kll, pl4, k9, n.— 70th row, plO, kll, p9, p2 
together. — 71st row, p32, p2 together. — 72d row, k31, n. 

73d row, p30, p2 together.— 74th row, p8, kll, p7, p2 
together. — 75th row, kS, pl4, k6, n. —76th row, k27, n. 

77th row, p26, p2 together. — 78th row, k25, n. 

79th row, k6, pl4, k4, n. — 80th row, p5, kll, p4,p2 together. 

81st row, p24.— 82d row, k24.— 88d row, p24.— 84th row, 
p5, kll, p5.— 85th row, k5, pl4, k5 —86th row, k24. 

87th row, p24.— 88th row, k24.— 89th row, k5, pl4, k5. 

90th row, p5, kll, p5.— 91st row, p24.— 92d row, k24. 

93d row, p24. 
14 



210 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

Now commence working in rounds wltli four needles, but 
first rearrange the stitches, by placing those which are on 
the instep needle on two needles (nineteen on each.) 

Hereafter we shall speak of these needles as the second 
and third, and the other needle, which now holds the stitches 
form the bottom and sides of the sock, as the first. 

Transfer five stitches from the first to the third needle 
and five more from the first to the second needle Having 
fourteen stitches on the first and twenty- four on each of the 
other needles, knit plain the five stitches remaining undis- 
posed of on the third needle. 

Hereafter the stitches on the first needle are all^knit plain 
in every round, and those on the other needles are worked 
alternately, two rounds purled and three rounds knit plain. 

The first decrease for toe is in the second round of purl- 
ing, and occurs in this and in every alternate round fchere- 
after, at the first corner of the second and the last corner of 
the third needles, either by narrowing or purling, as the 
case may be, until twenty-eight stitches only remain on the 
three needles, then decrease twice at each of said corners in 
each of the next two rounds. 

Transfer the stitches from the second to the third needle, 
and knit the ten stitches on this needle with the ten on the 
first needle together, casting off as you knit. 

Finish the sock by twisting a cord from the pink silk, 
and running the same into the open work of the ankle and 
straps, tipping with tassels of same color. 






PyiTTERJ^S. 



S~^ V 



'^'1 



m 






TERMS USED IN CROCHET.— DIRECTIONS FOR 
ANTIQUE, POINT, SHELL AND OTHER LACES. 



MAKING 




— — «••- 4 ^.<>..— 



EEMS USED IN CROCHET. — S.S.— Short Stitch 
— keep one loop on the needle, put the needle 
into the stitch and draw the thread through it 
and the loop at the same time. S.C — Single 
Crochet — Put the needle into the stitch and 
draw the thread through it, and then put the 
thread over and draw through both loops to- 
gether. L.C. — Long Crochet — Put the thread 
over needle before you put it into the work, 
draw the thread through work, then thead 
over and through two loops, and again thread 
over and through two loops. O.C. — Open Crochet — make 
one long crochet, then one chain stitch, and omit or pass 

over one stitch of the work, make one long crochet into 
next stitch. 
[211] 



212 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

Antique Lace. 

1st row, chain of 30 stitches. 

2d row, I.e. into 3d and then into 4th stitch ; chain of 2, 
I.e. into 6th stitch; chain of 2, I.e. into 8th, 9th and 10th 
stitches ; chain of 4, s.s. into 16th and 17th stitches ; chain 
of 4, I.e. into 22d, 23d and 24th stitches; chain of 2, 1 c. into 
27th, 28 and 29th stitches. 

3d "row, chain of 2, I.e. three times between 1st and 2d I.e. 
last made ; chain of 3, I.e. into 1st open space ; chain of 3, 
I.e. once into top of 6th I.e. of 2d row, and twice into open 
space ; chain of 3, I.e. into top of 2d s.s. stitch ; chain of 3, 
I.e. twice into open space and once into top of 7th I.e. of 2d 
row ; chain of 2, I.e. into top of 9th I.e. of 2d row ; chain of 
2, I.e. into top of 10th I.e. of 2d row; chain of 2, I.e. once 
into each of the remaining I.e. of 2d row. 

4th row, chain of 2, I.e. once between I.e. last made ; chain 
of 2, I.e. into top of 3d I.e. of 3d row, chain of 2, I.e. 
into 4th I.e. of 3d row, chain of 2, I.e. into 5th I.e. of 3d row, 
chain of 2, I.e. into 7th I.e. of 8d row, I.e. twice into open 
space ; chain of 2, I.e. twice into next open space and once 
into 9th I.e. of 3d row , chain of 4 s.s. once into 12th I.e. of 
3d row and once in stitch on each side ; chain of 4, I.e. three 
times between last I.e. of 3d row. 

5th row, chain of 2, I.e. three times between 1st and 2d 
I.e. last made ; chain of 5, s.s. once into each of the 3 s.s. 
chain of 5, I.e. three times into space ; chain of 2, I.e. into 
9th I.e. of 4th row ; repeat to end of row. 

6th row, chain of 2, I.e.; chain of 2. I.e. into 3d I.e. of 5th 
row; repeat to 6th I.e. of 5th row; I.e. twice into space; 
chain of 2 I.e. into 9th 1 c. of 5th row ; I.e. twice into space ; 
chain of 4, s.s. once into each of 3 s.s. ; chain of 4 I.e. twice 
into space, once into 10th I.e. of 5th row. 



CBOCHETTED PATTERNS. 213 

7tli row, chain of 2, I.e. three times into space; chain of 
S, I.e. into 2d s.s. ; chain of 3, I.e. twice into space once into 
4th I.e. of 6th row ; chain of 3, 1 e. into space ; chain of 3, I.e. 
once into 9th I.e. of 6th row, twice into space ; chain of 2, 
I.e. once into 11th I.e. of 6th row ; repeat to end of row. 

8th row, chain of 2, I.e. ; chain of 2, I.e. into 3d I.e. of 7th 
row ; chain of 2, I.e. into 4th I.e. of 7th row and twice into 
space ; chain of 4, s.s. three times, once into 8th I.e. of 7th 
row, once into stitch each side ; chain of 4, I.e. three times 
in space; chain of 2, le. twice into space and once into 13th 
I.e. of 7th row. 

9th row, chain of 2, I.e. three times into space ; chain of 
5 s.s. once into each s.s. of 8th row; chain of 5, I.e. three times 
into space ; chain of 2, I.e. twice. 

10th row, chain of 2, I.e. ; chain of 2, I.e. into 3d I.e. of 
9th row ; chain of 2, I.e. once into 5th I.e. of 9th row and 
twice into space ; chain of 4, 3 s.s. ; chain of 4, 3 I.e. 2 
into space, once into 6th I.e. of 9th row ; chain of 2, I.e. 
three times into space. 

11th row, chain of 2, I.e. three times between 1st and 2d 
I.e. last made of 10th row ; chain of 3, I.e. in space ; chain of 
3, I.e. once in 6th I.e. of 10th row, twice in space ; chain of 3, 
I.e. into 2d s.s. ; chain of 3, I.e. twice in space, once in 7th 
I.e. of 10th row; chain of 2 1 e. into 9th I.e. of 10th row; 
repeat to end of row. 

12th, row, chain of 2, I.e. into 2d 1. e. of 11th row ; chain 
of 2, I.e. into 3d I.e. ; chain of 2, I.e. into 4th 1. e. ; chain of 2, 
I.e. into 5th I.e. ; chain of 2, I.e. three times in space ; chain 
of 2, I.e. twice in space, once in 9th I.e. of 11th row ; chain 
of 4, s.s. once in 12th I.e. of 11th row and once each side ; 
chain of 4 I.e. three times between the two last I.e. of 11th row. 

13th row, chain of 2, I.e. three times ; chain of 5 s.s. three 
times ; chain of 5, I.e. three times in space ; chain of 2, I.e. 
repeat to end of rowj then repeat from 6th row inclusive. 



214 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

Antique Insertion — Suitable for window curtains or 
pillow shams, can easily be crocheted from this pattern to 
match the beautiful edge. 

Fan Lace. 1st row, chain 16 links. 

2d row, I.e. twice into the 8th link ; chain 2, I.e. twice 
into the 8th link ; chain 4, I.e. twice into 16th link ; chain 
2, I.e. twice into 16th link. 




3d row, chain 2 1. c. 2 into shell; chain 2, I.e. twice 
into same shell; I.e. four times in space ; I.e. twice into shell; 
chain 2, I.e. twice into shell ; I.e. ten times into loop. 

4th row, chain 2, I.e. ten times, once between each I.e. of 
scollop ; * I.e. twice into shell ; chain 2, 1 c. twice into same 
shell ; chaiu 4, I.e. 3 into shell ; chain 2, 1 c. twice into shell. 

5th row, chain 2, I.e. twice into shell ; chain 2, 1 c. 2 
into shell : I.e. four times into space, I.e. twice into shell ; 
chain 2, 1 c. 2 into shell; I.e. into space; f chain 1, I.e. 
into space ; repeat to end of scollop. 

6th row, chain 2 I.e. in space ; chain 2, I.e. in space. 



CROCHETED PATTERNS. 215 

repeat to end of scollop ; then repeat from star to cross ; then 
chain 2, I.e. in space ; repeat to end of scollop. 

7th row, chain 2, I.e. four times in first space and s.s. 
once in first space, s.s. in second space and I.e. four times, 
then s.s. all in second space ; repeat to end of scollop ; repeat 
from star to cross, omitting the 1 c. in space ; chain of 6 s.s. 
into first small scollop of the large scollop ; chain of 2, I.e. 
nine times in loop, this forms a nucleus for scollops ; repeat 
from star short stitching every alternate row into top of small 
scollops, adding one more row with a chain of 3 between 
each 1. c. before finishing with the small scollops ; all other 
scollops made same as second. 

Clover Leaf Lace. 1st row chain of 6, join, chain of 3. 
2d row, 2 I.e. into ring, chain 2, 2 I.e. into same place. 

3d row, chain of 4, 2 I.e. into shell ; chain of 2, 2 I.e. infeo 
same place ; chain of 5, catch with s.s. into ring. 

4th row, chain 7, 12 s.c. into chain of 5 ; chain of 1, 2 I.e. 
into shell ; chain of 2, 2 I.e. into same place, catch with s.s. 
into chain of 4. 

5th row, chain of 4, 2 I.e. into shell ; chain 2, 2 I.e. into 
Bame ; chain 5, catch into chain of 1. 

6th row, chain of 1, 6 s.c. into chain ; chain of 5, catch 
back into middle of first scollop. 

7th row, chain of 1, 12 s c. into chain of 5, 6 s c. into half 
finished scollop ; chain of 1, 2 I.e. into shell ; chain of 2, 2 I.e. 
into same place ; s.s. into chain of 4 ; repeat from third row, 

Grecian Insertions. 1st row, chain 30 links. 

2d row. I.e. into sixth link ; 3 I.e. once each into the three 
following links: *, chain of 2, skip 2, I.e. into next link; 
repeat from * four times; 3 I.e. chain of 2, 8kip 2, 1 I.e. 

3d row, chain of 4, I.e. once into top of I.e. then I.e. 
fifteen times, once each into the fifteen following I.e. and 
links ; chain of 2, skip 2, 4 I.e. chain of 2, 1 I.e. 



216 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

4tli row, chain of 4, 4 I.e. once each in top of 4 I.e. last 
made ; chain of 2, 4 I.e., * chain of 2, 1 I.e. ; repeat from * 
twice ; 3 I.e. chain of 2, 1 I.e. 

5th row, chain of 4, 4 I.e. * chain of 2, 4 I.e. ; repeat from 

* twice ; chain of 2, 1 i.e. 

6th row, chain of 4, 4 I.e. * chain of 2, 1 I.e. ; repeat from 

* twice ; 3 I.e. chain of 2, 4 I.e. chain of 2, 1 I.e. 

7th row, chain of 4, 4 I.e., chain of 2, 16 I.e., chain of 2, 1 I.e. 
8th row, chain of 4, etc. ; repeat from 2d row. 

Point Lace. 1st row, chain of 19 links. 

2d row. I.e. into the 3d link. I.e. once into each of the 
nine following links ; * I.e. three times into 13th link ; chain 
1, I.e. three more times into same link ; chain 1, 1 c. three 
times into 17th link ; chain 1, I.e. three more times into same 
link. 

3d row, chain 3 I.e. three times in shell ; chain 1, I.e. 
three times in same shell ; chain 1, I.e. three times in next 
shell ; chain 1, I.e. three times in same shell ; f chain 1 l.c. 
into top of 2d l.c. from centre of shell; chain 1, skip 1 l.c. 
and l.c. into top of next l.c. ; repeat to end. 

4th row, chain of 3, I.e. into top of 2d l.c. last made; 
chain of 1, l.c. into next I.e., repeat to first I.e. inclusive; 
chain 1, l.c. between 2d and 3d l.c. of shell ; repeat from 

*tot. 

5th row, l.c. between 1st and 2d l.c. of shell, between 2d 
and 3d and into top of 3d ; chain 1, l.c. into next l.c. j 
repeat once. 

6th row, chain 3, 1 c. into 2d l.c. last made ; chain 1, l.c. 
into top of next I.e., l.c. between this I.e. and next l.c. ; repeat 
to top of shell, then repeat from * to f. 

7th row, 1 e. once between 1st and 2d l,c. of shell ; repeat 
seven times, chain 1, skip 1, l.c. repeat once. 



CROCHETED PATTERNS. 217 

8th row, chain 3, I.e., chain 1, I.e., I.e. once between each 
of following I.e. to top of shell ; repeat from * to f. 

9th row, chain 1, I.e. into 2d I.e. of shell; chain 1, skip 1, 
I.e. and I.e. into the next; repeat to end of row, 

10th row, chain 3, 1. c, chain 1, I.e. ; repeat to between 
the l.c's. at top of shell, then repeat from * to f ; repeat from 
5th row inclusive. After the lace is knit the required length, 
finish the points by a chain of 5 s.s. into the first space ; 
repeat into each space around the points. ^ 

Shell Lace. 1st row, chain of 7. 

2d row, I.e. three times into third link ; chain 6 s.s. into 
sixth link. 

3d row, chain 3, I.e. thirteen times into space ; chain 2, 
chain 2, I.e. between the last 2 I.e. of 2d row. 

4th row, chain 3, I.e. three times into space ; chain 2, I.e. 
into 3d I.e.; chain 2, skip 1 I.e., then I.e. ; repeat to end. 

5th row, chain 3, I.e. in space, * chain 2, I.e. into 2d I.e. ; 
chain 2, I.e. in space ; repeat from * to end. There should 
be eleven spaces in this row. 

6th row, chain 6, s.s. in space ; repeat to end. 

7th row, chain 3, I.e. three times in scollop; chain 6, s.s. 
in 2d scollop ; repeat from 3d row inclusive. 

Shell Insertion. 1st row, chain of 10 links. 2d row, 
I c.,into 4th link, * 1 chain, 1 l.e passing over one link of the 
first chain ; repeat from star twice ; chain of 3, skip 1 link, 
7 l.e into last link. 

3d row, chain of 3, skip 1 link, 1 I.e. into next link ; 
* chain 1, skip 1, 1 I.e. into next; repeat from star); chain of 3, 
7 I.e. into place formed by chain of 3 of preceding row ; re- 
peat until desired length. 

For the edge, chain of 7, 1 s.c into each chain of 3. 2d row, 
1 1. c. chain of 1, pass over one of preceding row. 



^'i^9 



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PmmiF WfflMMS 



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*^f-•- OK', -♦1"^ 



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HOW TO MAKE HOMES BEIUTIEHL 

(^ j-^^ Tg) 



G'.'SJ 



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[218] 



MVERY man's proper mansion-house and home, being 
the theater of his hospitality, the seate of self-frui- 
"^f^ tion, the comfortablest part of his own life, the noblest 
•"• of his Sonne's inheritance, a kinde of private princedom, 
naye, to the possessors thereof, an epitomie of the whole world, 
may well deserve by these attributes, according to the degree 
of the master, to be decently and delightfully adorned." 

Sir Henry Watton. 



[2191 



(j;^;^j^p/;p;^;^ J^ 



INTEEIOR DECORATION. — GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS, — OB- 
JECTS AIMED AT, AND EXTENT OF DECORATION. — HOW 
TO BEAUTIFY WALLS AND CEILINGS. — WALL-PAPERS, — 
HOW TO SELECT THE BEST. 



o>«o 



lY interior decoration is meant the addition to the 
interior of our homes,, as finished by the builder, 
of such features as will add to the attractiveness 
of the rooms and lend an enchantment not felt 
or attained where habitation is the only object 
desired in a house. 

The addition of furniture of the humblest 
kind to a room relieves the monotony and gives 
it an air of comfort; the presence of other 
articles not strictly in the line of necessities still 
further adds to its comfort. 
But there are other considerations; rooms should not 
only be habitable but cheerful, and she is a wise house- 
wife who recognizes this fact early and sets about obtaining 
the desired result. 

The practice of Home Decoration is growing in favor 
rapidly; and as general culture increases, the demand for 

1220] 




OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 221 

means of beautifjdng the home increases, and the ingenuity 
of decorators has been taxed to its utmost to keep pace with 
the demand. 

Walls and ceilings are no longer left in monotonous 
white, where even the presence of a soiled spot affords 
relief for the eye, but are now beautified in many ingenious 
ways to relieve the dreary expanse. 

In these chapters, the author will endeavor to point out 
some of the ways in which Interior Decoration may be 
effected, giving simple directions therefor, so that by these 
instructions any one can perform most, if not all, the work 
without the aid of skilled labor, with the simple suggestion 
that, where it can be afforded, the assistance of the trades- 
man should be utilized. 

The extent of decoration should harmonize with the sur- 
roundings ; in other words, it should be governed by the uses 
to which the room is to be put, its size, and the amount to 
be expended, so that when done, there will be an air of 
completeness about the room which will render its occu- 
pancy pleasing. And here let it be remarked that Elabora- 
tion is not Decoration; the central idea of Decoration is 
comfort; Elaboration may leave no room for comfort. 

Harmony is another vital consideration in the matter of 
decoration. Especially is this true of colors; the entire con- 
tents of a room should present such mingling of colors as 
will rest the eye and awaken admiration. 

Many overlook this important factor in the decoration 
of houses, and thereby spoil what might otherwise have been 
a source of admiration and beauty. 



©":m,^:^^e.:ei mw^ 



Outline * ^or^i^. 



LATEST DESIGNS IN OUTLINING-FULL DIRECTIONS ON 
HOW TO DO THE WORK —THE STAR OF BEAUTY— THE 
WOOD NYMPH, ETC. 




HE artistic eye and patient needle can by this 
style of needle work, produce forms that rival 
the outline of the most skillful designer. 

Outlining is, as its name implies, the employ- 
ment of colored silks and crewels in producing 
figures upon suitable grounds. 

The most popular ground or foundation is 
linen, as this material can be put to greater uses, 
but the finest silks are often employed. 

The illustrations and descriptions following 
are sufficiently explicit to enable the worker to 
see the general idea and for other designs the reader is 
referred to periodicals, advertising cards and her own 
ingenuity. 

The Stae of Beauty, — The accompanying design is 
one of the very latest, and is becoming so popular we take 
pleasure in presenting it and describing the different stitches 
with which it should be decorated. 

The head itself should be worked in outline with Japan 
etching silk, in any color to suit the taste, and the space be- 

222 




TKe Orange Bud LambreQuin. 




Cobweb Border for Lambrequin. 



The Star of Beauty. 



OUTLINE WOBK. 225 

tween it and the first circle line, darned with embroidery 
silk or filling silk of another contrasting color. The apple 
blossoms and leaves may be worked in Kensington stitch, 
darning stitch or single or double outline, but we would 
suggest to embroider the leaves in double outline, filling in 
the flowers in Kensington. Trace the circular lines in single 
outline with embroidery or filoselle, the .decorations to be 
followed in fine etching silk, same color as the head. This 
style of design is more particularly adapted to tidies, table 
covers and scarfs. 

The Orange Bud Lambrequin is decidedly new 
and extremely handsome when finished as follows : flowers 
in circle to be made in double outline stitch — natural apple 
blossom colors — with French knot in the centre. All the 
space inside the circles to be darned with embroidery silk 
or filoselle. "Work the orange buds and stems in Kensing- 
ton stitch with filling silk, using appropriate colors. Trace 
all conventional lines in single outline. 

The Wood Nymph. — This design can be worked on the 
same principle as " The Star of Beauty,'' using proper care 
in selection of colors. 

Cobweb Border for Lambrequin. — It is of the utmost 
importance that a good material should be chosen for the 
ground work. Plush, sateen and felt are all much used, but 
no one need desire a prettier lambrequin than one we have 
seen which was made from the pieces of a well worn cloth 
dress. 

Select your colors carefully In the design a ground of 
old gold is very effective. The cobweb must be outlined in 
a dark brown, while the leaves and flowers are worked in 
double outline, the former in shades of green, the latter in 
a brick red. 

Hemingway's silks are adapted to this style of work. 
15 



ClFT^F>a^T^.T^ III. 



HOW TO HANG WALL-PAPERS. — SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS FOR 
EVERYBODY. — SIZING THE WALLS. — AMOUNT OF PAPER 
IN A ROLL. — HOW TO CUT AND MATCH THE PAPER. — 
PASTE FOR WALL-PAPER. 




T is usually best to leave the walls or ceilings for 
at least a year before papering them, for the 
reason that it requires that time for the plaster to 
become so thoroughly dry as to hold the paper. 
If, however, it is desirable to paper new walls, it 
will be necessary to first put on a thin coat of 
sizing, in order to make a surface to which the 
paper will stick better than to the bare wall. 
Ttiis sizing may be made of a weak solution of 
glue, and may be put upon the wall with a 
whitewash brush. However, if the walls are 
green they are apt to draw the colors from the paper, so 
that it is best in all cases not to paper walls for at least 
a year. 

In preparing an old whitewashed or colored wall for 
paper, the wash or color is first wetted well with water, and 
scraped off with an old plane-iron, or any piece of steel 
[226] 



HOW TO HANG WALL-PAPERS. 227 

"which has a smooth edge, after which the wall should be 
swept down with a stiff broom, to remove all that the 
scraper may have left, and make an even surface. If there 
is any loose plaster, those parts should be well sized and have 
a piece of strong paper pasted over them, but it is even 
better to have the place re-plastered. Cracks or holes may 
easily be filled with a little putty, and' in no case should 
they be left unfilled. If not stopped in any other way, 
slips of paper should be pasted over them, or else the cracks 
will soon show through the outer paper. 

After all this is done, the room may be sized, and the 
sizing will be dry enough in an hour for the papering to 
be commenced. 

If the room has once been papered, it will be 
necessary to go over the walls and tear off all the loose 
pieces, especially at the top and bottom, corners and edges. 
If the bare wall is exposed by the tearing off, these spots 
should be sized. After all these preparations are made, the 
wall is ready to receive the paper, and the hanging may 
proceed. 

Wall-paper comes in rolls, eight yards in length, and 
from eighteen to twenty -two inches in width. A margin runs 
along each side of the paper usually from one-fourth to 
three-fourths of an inch wide, and before hanging the paper 
the margin on one of these edges must be trimmed close to 
the pattern printed on the paper. To do this, unroll a yard or 
two of one of the pieces of paper and with a pair of scissors 
trim off the edge, rolling up the paper again as it is trimmed. 

It is usual to begin papering from one of the main 
windows in the room, and the edges of the paper when hung 
shall be toward that window, so that it will be necessary to 



228 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

trim off the edge of the paper nearest to the window. It 
is necessary to trim off but one edge, as the paper when 
put on the wall laps over the margin of the other edge in 
order to match the pattern. 

When the edge is trimmed, cut off a length about the 
height of the room from the ceiling to the base-board, or if a 
dado is to be used, so that it will come an inch or two below 
the top line of the dado. The second length must be cut ><o 
that the pattern will match exactly with the piece first cut, 
and so on. 

If desired, as many lengths may be cut at once as will 
be necessary to cover the room, or each piece may be cut as 
it is needed. 

The paste having been prepared beforehand, a thin layer 
may be spread over the back of the first piece, fold the piece 
up so as to handle it easily, and haviug brought the top to 
meet the ceiling, see that the length hangs straight, trying 
it, if necessary, by a plumb-line ; then, after having fastened 
the top to the wall, take it by the lower end, draw it away 
from the wall, being careful not to loosen it from the wall 
at the top, and let it fall back and it will drop into its place 
without a wrinkle. 

Now with a soft clean cloth begin at the top and press 
the paper to the wall all down the center to the bottom. 
Then beginning at the top, again press it from the center to 
each side, alternately, regularly downward. If this opera- 
tion be properly done, the length wUl be perfectly close to 
the wall, and smooth in every part. 

It is not to be pressed heavily; but the cloth, being taken 
in the hand as a round, loose lump, must be moved quickly 
over the surface — dab — dab — dab — with a light, clean touch. 



HOW TO HANG WALL-PAPEBS. 229 

otherwise some of the colors roay be apt to smear. Last of 
all, mark with the point of the scissors where the paper 
meets the baseboard, cut off all that is over, and press the 
end carefully into its place. 

Proceed with the second length in the same way, bring- 
ing the trimmed-ofF edge to meet the pattern of the first one, 
and taking care that no gap i^ left between. Neglect of 
these precautions will convert a handsome paper into a sight 
that will be a constant eye-sore. Try the lengths frequently 
with the plumb-line to avoid the chance of getting out of 
upright. 

How TO Make Paste. 

Paste is best made with old flour, water, and a little size 
or glue; alum is also added, to make it spread more freely 
without losing any of its tenacity or sticking quality. It 
should be brought to a slow boil and made rather thicker 
than ordinary gruel, and then allowed to get cool before 
using. It should be laid on the paper smoothly and equally, 
with a good brush, not putting on too much, or it will squeeze 
out at the edges. Where this takes place it must be renewed 
with a clean damp sponge. Any accidental smears of paste 
may be removed in this way, if taken off lightly as soon as 
they are made. 




mMM.:0'mM'M WW' 



Brass Harnrrieririg er Repoaiie Work. 



DESCRIPTION OF TOOLS AND MATERIALS— METHODS OF 
DOING THE WORK— KINDS OF DESIGNS. 




EPOUSSE WORK or " Brass Hammering" is 
a form of minor Art work, whicli has become 
very popular within the past j^ear or two. 

In the first place do not buy expensive " out- 
fits," and on the other hand do not try to work 
with " a common nail and a hammer.'' 

Get a set of the best tools — that is, of good 
steel, and a rawhide mallet. 

A simple set of eight punches to be obtained 
of dealers in artists' material, with a piercing 
punch for making holes in the brass, is sufficient 
to do almost anything in the way of cold hammered work. 

The brass generally used is of the thickness known as 
!N"o. 25, and costs about 40 cents a pound. 

The design may be drawn directly on the brass with a 
pencil or sharp point, if you possess sufficient skill in draw- 
ing, or if you wish to copy a design it may be done by laying 
a piece of transfer paper on the brass, placing the design 
over it, and tracing the design carefully with a hard pointed 
pencil. The easiest and best way, however, is to stamp the 

230 




The Wood Nymph. 



BEAS8 SAMMEBING. 231 

design directly on the brass by the dry stamping process 
used for embroidery. A perforated pattern is laid on the 
brass, and with a suitable pouncet a resinous powder is 
rubbed through the perforations. Simply heating the brass 
a little, fixes the design permanently, and the lines are clear 
and distinct. 

Designs for this work are principally ideal heads, statu- 
ary, etc., as shown on p. 233, 234. 

Having by any of these means got your design on the 
brass, and of course, choosing a simple one to begin with, 
fasten the brass to a soft pine board by means of screws at 
the corners, using the piercing punch to make the necessary 
holes in the brass. The board should be about seventeen or 
eighteen inches square an inch thick, and free from knots. 

Now begin by tracing the outline very lightly with the 
bordering tool or tracer. Do not attempt to make firm, 
heavy lines at once as this will cause the brass to warp or 
spring. Make them very light, and go over them again a 
little heavier. 

After the tracing is done, use a •' mat tool " and go over 
all the parts of the design which are outside the traced lines. 
This will sink the groundwork and bring the design into 
relief. 

This is about all there is to ordinary cold hammering, as 
it is called, but of course the appearance of the work de- 
pends greatly upon the skill used in doing it. At first you 
may expect your lines to be broken and irregular — your 
expectations will be realized ; but if yon choose something 
small and unimportant to begin on, and after spoiling it try 
the same thing over again more carefully, you will very soon 
notice a great improvement. 

For work in high relief it is necessary to use a bed of 
pitch or cement to hammer on, and to anneal the brass 
occasionally when it becomes too brittle. 



232 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

The pitch or cement is made of brick-dust and resin with 
a little tallow or oil added, but is generally cheaper to buy 
it than to prepare it. The board on which you are to work 
is to be covered with this composition about an inch thick 
or more. Oil the surface of the brass very slightly before 
applying it to the bed of pitch. On this pitch bed any 
desired amount of relief may be produced, even when very 
thick brass is used. 

In this high relief work the face of the work is placed 
against the pitch, and the figures pounded out from the back 
by means of the smooth, round ended punches. 

This is the reverse of the cold hammering in which the 
ground is pounded down. After the desired relief is ob- 
tained, the work is turned over and the finishing strokes 
given on the face side. 

When necessary to anneal the brass to give it the softness 
it originally possessed, remove it trom the bed of pitch by 
slightly heating it and tapping it with a hammer to loosen 
it. Heat it until slightly red, either over a gas stove or a 
fire, and let it cool again. Being quite unlike steel it may 
be cooled suddenly without hardening it. It will be found 
to have regained its softness and ductility, and is ready for 
further hammering. 

After the work is completed the pitch is easily removed 
by rubbing with turpentine. For polishing, there are a 
number of different preparations, such as rouge and oil, or 
oxalic acid. 

For mounting the work it is better to give it to the tin- 
man, as, for instance, the turning of the edge of a brass 
placque over a wire to stiffen it, requires special apparatus 
and experience. 



<m-MM.:^mM'M W> 



ECDBRPIDERY # STITCHES. 




HE best authorities agree that for embroidery the 
simpler and fewer the stitches the better. Of 
course, the number and character of the stitches 
depend upon the design to be made, some designs 
being so elaborate as to require no small amount 
of work. 

The following descriptions and illustrations 
explain clearly how to make all the popular and 
lastest stitches. 

Stem or Tent Stitch. — Which is the simplest 
stitch for beginners, consists of a single long 
stitch taken forward followed by a shorter one backward, 
thus alternating a long one forward and a short one back- 
ward, only the long stitch showing in the work. 

CHAiisr Stitch. — This old fashioned stitch is still quite 
popular for fastening down the edges of crazy work, em- 
broidering mats, etc. Our illustration sufficiently explains 
the method of making the stitch. 

Twisted Chain Stitch. — Made similar to the foregoing 
except that the needle is set to the left instead of into the 
preceding stitch. 

233 



234 OUB H0ME8 AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 



Vine Chain Stitch. — This is a splendid stitch for 
Crazy -work, and is made like Twisted Chain, by setting the 
needle still farther to the left. 




Chain Stitch. 2. Vine Chain. 

Blanket Stitch. — Is exactly like the ordinary button- 
hole stitch, and is used in edging 





Borders in Button-hole. Ennbossed Button-hole or Blanket. 

length of the stitches, or sloping them in many directions, 
materials. A very pretty effect is made by varying the 
Button Hole Stitch. — ISTow used in edging draperies, 
where it serves the double purpose of protection and orna- 
ment. 



HEERING-BONE STITCH. 



235 





French Knot. — This stitch is used 
for the centre of flowers and for mak- 
ing a raised foundation for such flowers 
as the golden rod and snow-ball. 

It is made by taking a back stitch, 
passing the silk twice around the 
needle and drawing the latter through, 
at the same time holding the coil down 
in place. 

Heeking-Bone Stitch. — This is a 
French Knot. very popular stitch, as it makes a good 
appearance, and is adapted to a 
wide range of work. It is es- 
pecially appropriate for joining 
seams, taking the place of the 
unsightly ridge made by a fell. 

Herring-bone Stitch. 

The two illustrations 
give a clear idea of 
the method of mak- 
ing this stitch, the 
larger showing one 
variation for orna- 
mental effect. 
Herringbone Stitch. 

Cross Stitch. — This stitch is made by a back-stitch 
movement, with the needle always pointing toward the left 
unless it is desirable to change the direction of the design. 
When this stitch is used for working canvas, two threads 
each way is the limit of the stitch, one-half of which crosses 
diagonally from left to right, and the other half in the 
opposite direction. 




236 OUB HOMES AND TEEIE ADORNMENTS. 



Satin Stitch. — Our illustration of this stitch gives a 
very good idea of the way to work it. It is very popular, 

and suitable for work 
with flosses, embroidery 
silks, zephyrs and crewels 
The design is stamped on 
the goods, and the whole 
filled in well with silk or 
worsted, before the real 
embroidery is begun. 
Care must be taken to 
have the edges even. 

The artistic Chinese 
Embroideries which ap- 
pear the same on both 




Satin Stitch. 

Basket Stitch. — 
The engraving pre- 
sents the method of 
making this stitch 
very clearly. Begin 
the work at the bot 
torn and work from 



sides are done in this stitch. 




Basket Stitch. 



you. It is a very fine stitch for borders and the like. 

Wound Stitch. — This stitch is used for embroidering 

grain, small leaves, 
or flowers having 
small petals. The 
cut shows how the 
cord is formed. 
After the needle is 
Wound Stitch. wound, the thumb ot 

the left hand is held firmly over it until the needle is pulled 




JANINA STITCR. 



237 



through, and the coil firmly drawn into place. Two stitches 
only are needed to form each kernel. The tiny stitches 
seen at the ends of the kernels may be lengthened to repre- 
sent the barbs of real grain. 

Janina Stitch. — This resembles the satin stitch in its 
general outline, but 
the pattern is not 
filled in before be- 
ginning to embroi- 
der, and the work 
shows only on one 
side. The needle 
should be set at the 
next to the last 
stitch, as shown in 
the illustration. 

It is also of ori- 
ental birth and prob- 
ably came from Chinese, 




Janina Stitch. 




Outline Stitch. 
butterflies, and animals are favorite designs. 



Outline Stitch. — 
TMs is now the stitch 
for embroidery work. 
The stem stitch is in 
reality the same, only 
the unbroken outline 
of the design is made 
with now and then a 
stroke representing the 
veins of leaves and 
folds of drapery. Satin 
is the favorite goods for 
this stitch, and foliage. 



238 OUn HOMES AND THEIB AD0BNMENT8. 

Feather Stitch. — The 
cut very clearly illustrates 
the method of working one 
variety of feather stitch. It 
Is worked in two colors, and 
Feather Stitch. the effect is very pretty indeed. 




f(Sfr>''3fe[»«*^''-"'"*-~ 



KENSINGTON ^ Stitch. 




This stitch derives its name from the celebrated art school 
at South Kensington, England. 

It is not, as is generally supposed, simply a stitch of it- 
self, but is a plan of shading and blending in of colors, 
according to the principles of art, by using a combination 
of stitches to secure artistic effect. By this stitch or plan 
only are we able to achieve success and satisfaction in em- 
broidery in natural colors. 



FLUSH EMBBOIDEBY. 239 

Observe in the illustration the position of the needle in 
taking the stitches in the stem, leaf and flower. Commence 
the work on the stem of the design, using the outline stitch ; 
the stem made, commence on the leaf at the centre line at 
the lower part, giving the needle the slant upwards on the 
angle of the natural veins in the leaf (see illustration) ; the 
stitches must be in length proportioned to the size of the 
leaf. If the leaf be a small, tiny one, one shade of the leaf 
color is sufficient, in which case take the stitch from outline 
to centre ; but in larger leaves, where two or more shades 
are required to fill the leaf, proportion the stitch according 
to the number of shades used. 

These stitches must be made of irregular lengths where 
they are to join and blend with the next shade, so as to more 
perfectly blend in the shades (see illustration). 

In making the flower, commence on the outer edge of 
the petals, etching up from the centre or circle of flower (as 
shown in illustration), proportion the length of stitch as in 
the leaf, shading down towards the centre with darker 
shades of the flower color. 

By this, nearly all the material is brought on the face of 
the work without the waste there is in satin stitch, which 
leaves as much on the back side as on the face of the work, 
and the French Knot stitch, which is used to represent the 
seeds in the centre, and also, when required, on the ends of 
the stamens, as in the illustration. 

Plush Embroidery.— The most decided novelty in art 
embroidery is the introduction of the Plush Embroidery. By 
its use sumac, cockscomb, golden rod, love-lies bleeding, 
princess feather, etc , are closely imitated in texture as well 
as coloring. To make it, first fill in the flower with large 
French Knots of the prevailing color ; then (using button- 
hole twist) bring the needle up between the knots, lay a 



240 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

double strand of filling silk on the face of the work against 
the needle ; take the needle down about in the same place 
it came up, but from the other side of the filling silk, so that 
when drawn down the stitch has caught the filling silk 
about a quarter of an inch from its end ; draw the stitch 
down tightly, which will cause the ends of the filling silk to 
spring straight up ; clip them off with a very sharp pair of 
scissors. Eepeat for as many stitches as are required to 
cover the knots. By varying the size of the French knot 
which forms the ground-work of the flower, its surface can 
be raised more or less as desired. With taste and judgment 
in the clipping and in the number of stitches used, charming 
realistic effects are produced. In the cockscomb, the upper 
part or comb, is a rich crimson. This should be worked with 
stitches very close, and clipped quite long, the convolutions 
of the comb being represented by using three shades of 
crimson. As each stitch may be made different, the shad- 
ing can be perfectly done. 

The lower part, from the stem up to the comb, shows the 
green seeds, with a thin sprinkling of the velvety down. 

This is imitated by making the knots of dead green crewel 
and a few plush stitches interspersed, using a single thread 
of the floss made of filaments of red and green. Clip these 
a little closer than in the comb, and use more red toward 
the comb. This, when skillfully done, imitates the flower 
most beautifully and faithfully. 

©HE Snow- Ball Flowbi^. 

Make the foundation in double French knot in double 
crewel, so as to bring it out in bold relief Attach to this 
very narrow silk ribbon, cut in pieces three-quarters of an 
inch long and pointed at the ends. These are crossed and 
fastened with gold silk. 




Plush Embroidery. 



BESIG]^ FOB BOBBER. 



241 




Design for a Border. 



Design for 
Border. — The 
design for a cor- 
ner will assist in 
understanding | 
this. The rings | 
and the diamonds 
are made of three 
threads of differ- 
ent shades, while 
the angles are 
concealed by gold colored silk 

Design for a 
Corner ob Cen- 
ter-piece. This ^ 
design may be 
worked in a cor- 
ner, or it may be 
one-fourth of a 
center piece. The 
zig-zag edges can 
be made of three 
shades of red, 
the darkest at the 
inner edge. The 
outer points to be 
crossed with yellow Design for a Corner. 

and the inner with four shades of blue. 
16 







■MM.'^mM.m *WS. 



Dl^AWN AND FJiBBON D30I^P^. 



AN ANCIENT AET EEVIVED.— THE SECRET OP OLD MONAS 
TERIES.— EXPLICIT DIRECTIONS FOR DRAWN WORK. 
—ILLUSTRATIONS AND DESCRIPTIONS OF THE LATEST 
DESIGNS— THE USE OF COLORED SILKS IN THIS WORK. 




HE art of making drawn -work is by no means 
recent. In Europe it was known for cen- 
turies by monks only, and was given to the 
world after the breaking up of the monasteries, 
when ladies of the highest rank eagerly 
acquired the art. 

In its simplest form drawn work consists 
in drawing out threads of the fabric and 
working in patterns with fancy stitches, the 
simplest form being 

The Hem-Stitch, 

It is made by first turning the hem the desired width, 
to mark the line in the body of the goods where the first 
thread should be drawn. A number of threads are then 

1242] 



OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 



243 



drawn out, more or less in proportion to the fineness of the 
cloth, and the hem is turned to the outer edge of the drawn 
space and carefully basted down. 




The threads left after drawing out the filling are now to 
be caught up in clusters of four or more, next to the chaiR 
as seen in Fig. 1, using fine cotton. 

Do the seam on both edges for Double Hem Stitch. 







^H 


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S H = £.£.-£».£ 


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^^^"-^-^n^^B 






1 


1 


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1^ 



The first of the illustrated patterns is made by hem- 
stitching the drawn space at the top and bottom. This 
leaves an effect of even rows of threads a little separated. 
The bunches of four in the centre are drawn together by 
using the chain stitch. 



244 



BIBBON WORK. 



Another pattern can be made by chain -stitching only 
alternate bunches. 

The second pattern is made by introducing a waving 
line over and under the bunches of threads. Repeat this 
waving line in returning and where the threads cross in the 
centre; finish with small figures in lace stitches. 

The uses to which drawn work may be put are varied. 
Towels, table linen, bed linen, and doylies are embellished 
with it. 

Colored silks may be introduced into this work with 
most brilliant effect. To prevent the silk from fading drop 
the skeins into boiling water for ten minutes. 








Fig. 48. 




Embroidering in silk or ribbon, consists in forming 
flowers and buds of the above named materials, whicli should 
be soft, as the effect is richer than when a stiff ribbon or 
Bilk is used. 

To make open roses, cut the silk into small squares ; 
double each of these on the bias once, which will form a 
triangle, then bring the three corners together by gathering, 
in so doing you have formed a petal, of which make a number. 
Then cut a small circular piece of buckram, upon which sew 
the petals, beginning at the circumference and filling in the 
centre with smaller petals. 

For the stamens of the flower, use chenille, the color 
used being appropriate to the flower. 

To make a bud, take a large petal, gather it through the 
eentre, and cover this gathering by embroidering over it 
with chenille. Also make seed cup and calyx with chenille. 

For the leaf, cut out a pattern the desired shape, and 
embroider on to it the chenille, using a different color of 
chenille for the mid-ribs. 

A pretty design is to cut the pattern of a basket and tack 
it on to a piece of large plush or satin, on which the design 
is to be worked; lay over the pattern some batting, which 
will give it a raised appearance. For the covering of the 
basket use a piece of silk, and embroider on to it in gold 
bullion ; then fill the basket with flowers of ribbon work. 



246 OUE SOMES ANB THEIB AD0BNMENT8. 



Designs in ribbon work may be embroidered on plush or 
velvet aad used to drape either a mantle piece or stand table. 
A very handsome banner may be made of a piece of satin, 
velvet or plush, and a spray of flowers embroidered in 
ribbon on it. 

Eibbon work is rapidly 
executed and it is much 
admired for home decora- 
tion. 

Should the design you 
wish be daisies, select the 
appropriate colors, and if 
large, treat in the same 
way as the rose, but if 
small, use a ribbon from 
one-sixteenth to an eight 
of an inch in width. Take 
the chenille needle and 

thread it with the ribbon 

Ribbon Work. of the desired width and 

draw through the ground work from the outline of the 
petal to the centre and fasten the ends on the back with 
needle and thread, and fill in the centre of daisy with French 
Knot. 

RiBBOSENE is a new material for embroidery. It is a 
cross between arasene and ribbon, and yet unlike either. It 
is in fact similar to a narrow ribbon, but is all silk, and more 
elastic, being crimped or waved, It is used only in making 
flowers. 




Qrazy*U/orl^. 



The accompanying illustration gives a splendid idea of 
what Crazy Work is. Two methods may be used in making 
the work ; first, by cutting the silk, velvet, satin or ribbon 




into various shapes and sizes, lining each piece with either 
cotton or cambric, and joining these pieces, so lined, upon 
a foundation of canton flannel or felt cloth. The other 
method is to fasten all the pieces of silk, velvet, etc., without 
lining, upon a foundation of canton flannel. Xext ornament 
the seams with fancy stitches in embroidery silk, using vari- 
ous shades. It is best not to have any two pieces of material 

247 



248 OUR HOMES AND IIIEIB ADORNMENTS. 

alike, if a variety of colors cau be had. lu crazy work it 
is an object to use many bright colors, red especially being 
most effective. 

1 )ull colored materials may be utilized by working them 
in judiciously with very bright pieces-^scraps of black 
velvet scattered all through in proximity to the bright reds, 
and paler tints add much to the general effect. 

Crazy work is used for chair tidies, bed spreads, sofa 
pillows, etc. 

The design illustrated is for the purpose of showing 
ladies some of the numerous fancy stitches, which can be 
used in decorating the crazy work. 

The cut represents a patch ten inches square, the pieces 
being sewed without regular arrangement upon a founda- 
tion of canton flannel. 

Hew Design pofj Sgf^ap Basi^eii. 



Line the bot- 
tom and sides 
with cardinal si- 
lesia to within 
two inches of top t % 
cover the rim 
with a full puff 
ing of cardinal I 
satin. 

Take a band of 
olive felt eight 
inches in width 




and of length 
sufficient to pass 
around the bas- 
ket, cut into six 
deep points 
which ma3'^ be 
prettily finished 
by using tassels 
of different 
colors. Place on 
the basket be- 
low the puffing 



from which it is separated by a black band of satin or velvet 
ribbon catch stitched with colored flosses The effect may 
be heightened by embroidering a small spray of flowers on 
each of the points. 




Rg. 52, 



CxHJ^F»a"E.R ^11 



SOME ELEGANT DESIGNS. — EMBROIDERED ROCKING-CHAIR 
COVER. — A WORK-APRON. — DESIGNS FOR ELEGANT GLASS 
MIRRORS. — NEW STYLE OF SPLASHER. — BEAD EMBROID- 
ERED NEWS RACK. — HANDSOME TABLE COVER. — A PIANO 
SCARF IN PLUSH APPLIQUE WORK. 




oJ*{o 



LEGANT ROCKING-CHAIR COVER. — The very ele- 
gant rocking-chair shown in Fig. 49 is uphol- 
stered in hair and covered with silk plush of the 
peculiar shade called " drakesneck," a sort of 
bluish-green of a deep, rich shade, which forms a 
most exquisite background for the sprays of wild 
rose so perfectly embroidered on the seat and 
back in silk filoselle, and the leaves having that 
tinge of brown and red mingled with dull green 
so often seen in the growing bush. The arms 
and front of the chair are finished with silk gimp 
to match, and silk fringe of the same shade as the plush, re- 
lieved by pink silk double ruffs at intervals. The back is 
covered with pink plush, and the whole forms a most beau- 
tiful chair and one that will not be ruined by reasonable 
use. 

[249] 



250 OUR HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

A Pretty Work-Apron. 

A pretty little work-apron is shown in Fig. 50, made of 
a yard of pongee silk, 18 inches wide, embroidered in etching 
silk, the design being that old conundrum of 

' ' How doth the little busy bee 
Improve each shining hour ?" 




Fig. 50. 

Another design often used instead, repr^ents a little girl 
plucking the petals of a daisy, with the words 

" I do n't care what the daisies say, 
I know I'll be married some fine day. " 

After the embroidery is done, a hem is turned all around 
and neatly hemstitched, the lower end turned up to form a 
pocket, and the apron finished with bows of silk ribbon. 



DESIGN FOB HAIB RECEIVER. 



251 



They will wash perfectly, and make charming presents 
for girls. 




Fig. 5'- 

Hair Keceiver. 

Fig. 51 is a novel and pretty hair and hair-pin receiver^ 
made of No. 12 satin ribbon of two colors interwoven in a 



252 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

sort of checker-board pattern, as seen in the engraving. A 
piece of card-board in the center forms a partition, on one 
side of which is a crocheted cushion of split zephyr to receive 
the hair-pins, the other side being left as a hair receiver. 
The whole is bound with satin and finished at the upper 
edge with quilled ribbon, as seen in the illustration. The 
fringe seen just below the quilled ribbon is made by fringing 
about two inches of the ends of the ribbons. 

Glass Mireors. 

An elegant addition to almost any room is one of the 
beveled glass mirrors shown in Figs. 52 and 53, The frame 
is of pine or whitewood and covered with silk plush embroid- 
ered with arasene or with silk floss, arasene being much the 
best as the colors are better and the general efiect more rich. 
The cuts show two very different designs, — one a vine of 
wild clematis, and the other a spray of dogwood ; the former 
worked on deep Indian-red plush, and the latter on a very 
dark olive-green. They can be made of "Vi«,rious sizes, but 
10x10 or 12x12 for the glass is generally preferred. They 
are quite different in appearance from the painted frames so 
a-bundant in the stores, and which are usually very poor 
specimens of amateur art. 

A New Style Splasher. 

Splashers are not very new, but the one shown in Fig. 54 
is so far superior to the ordinary splasher as to merit descrip- 
tion. It is made expressly for the purpose, being woven 
with a band of open-work all around and a sewed fringe on 
the four sides. The material is linen momie cloth. Along 
the upper edge at the back, five loops of tape are sewed, 



DESIGN FOB 8PLASHEB. 



25a 



through which a brass or -wooden rod is passed and secured 
to the wall by brass screw-ej^es. One end of the rod is 
made to slip off so that the splasher is easily removed to be 




Fig- 54- 



washed, and replaced again without the usual damage to the 
wall by tacking. The designs on them are also new and 
pretty. 

A News Rack. 

Fig. 55 is a news rack in bead embroidery. The frame 
is of gilded wood, and the foundation for the embroidery is 
of deep maroon silk plush. The design of maple leaves is 
embroidered in metal beads in various shades of olive-green 
and brown, red-brown and yellow. The work is done very 
much the same as crewel work, a silk thread being used, 
and the beads strung on four or five at a time to form a long 
or short stitch and of such colors as required. The beads can 
be procured of every color. 



254 



OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 



Theee-Cornered Table. 

Fig, 56 represents a three-cornered table, the frame of 
"which is of gilded wood. The top is covered with shaded 
blue plush, ornamented with a spray of wild clematis, em- 
broidered in beads, the flowers in steel, and the leaves in 
cut-gold. The sides are draped with shaded blue plush, 




Fig. 56. 



caught up in the center of each side by a large silk pompon 
from which depend soft silk ball tassels. Long " horse-tail " 
tassels of twisted silk of a Terra Cotta shade, are hung at 
each corner. A large bow of shaded satin ribbon, tied taste- 
fully at one corner where the flower stems begin, completes 
this very pretty table. 



DESIGN FOB PIANO SCARF. 255 

Applique Piano Scarf. 

Fig. 57 is a piano scarf for an upright in the new Mo- 
saic embroidery, or plush applique work. The ground is of 
lava gray plush and the design of autumn leaves is cut out 
of a variety of shades of plush, each half leaf being a sepa- 
rate piece and different shade. The pieces of plush are first 
pasted down on a foundation of crinoline, and when dry, 
cut out neatly with very sharp scissors and gummed to the 
plush foundation. The edges are then sewed down firmly 
with silk of the same shades as the plushes. 

» The neglect of this sewing down is what has caused 
many to regard Mosaic work as lacking in durability ; but 
if the edges are well sewed down they will not fray or 
ravel out. After sewing down, the edges are concealed by 
a gold or tinsel cord caught down in couching stitches. 
A few stitches of chenille of darker shade than the plush 
it is used on, are added to show the veining of the leaves. 
A very pretty way of adjusting the scarf is to bring up 
the embroidered end, throwing it over from the back, and 
letting it hang over the front of the piano. 

The work is very easily and quickly done with the ex- 
ception of the preparation of the pattern, which requires 
a variety of odd shades of plush not easily obtained by the 
amateur, and without which the work loses much of its 
beauty. The patterns, however, can be procured already 
pi-epared on crinoline at any of the first-class fancy-work 
establishments in most of the large cities. They can be 
easily transferred to any foundation by moistening the 
crinoline to soften the gum. 

A handsome table scarf in " darned work " is shown in 



256 OUE HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 




Fig. 57- 




Pig- 55- 



DESIGN FOE TABLE SGABF. 



257 



Fig. 58. The body of the scarf is of ecru plush. The orna- 
mentation is of alternate squares of ecru satin, darned in a 
geometric pattern in colored embroidery silk in a variety of. 




stitches, and squares of old blue plush, with a small spray 

embroidered in gold and steel beads. The ends are finished 

with silk fringe and four large tassels to correspond with the 

satin and plush. 

17 



258 OUB HOMES AND TEEIB AD0BNMENT8. 

The cut below represents a design which may be used 
by being extended, for a border of anj'^ length, for a table 
cover, lambrequin or bureau cover. For a foundation use 




i*tff 






Scarf Table Cover. 

Pongee Silk, or gold colored India Silk, and embroider upon 
this in double outline stitch, using filoselle, embroidery silk, 
or Japan etching silk, the flowers, buds and leaves. Make 
one flower with two shades of golden brown silk, another 
with two of pink, and one with two shades of blue, fill in 
all the ground with heavy darning in old golden. 



«-5!«5^-( 



i'«^»^^ 



(IxK[AF»TE.K^ ^fff. 



HANGINGS FOR DOORS, HALLS, AND WINDOWS. — HOW TO 
MAKE THEM, AND OF WHAT TO MAKE THEM. — ELEGANT 
EFFECTS AT SMALL COST. — HOW TO USE THE ODDS AND 

ENDS IN RENDERING THE HOUSE MORE BEAUTIFUL. 

COST OF MATERIALS. 




oj*;c 



ORTIERES.— A beautiful room is far more 
beautiful when there is no square means of egress 
suggesting the unpleasant idea of departure. 
Where, however, the means are limited, one 
pretty portiere covering, or replacing an ugly 
door, or curtaining an outside one, gives an air 
of taste and elegance. Midway in a hall, as in 
the case of an outer door, drafts are prevented 
by a heavy fall of drapery. 

They should not repeat the curtains of the 
room, but represent a separate idea, though 
in harmony with the room. They are frequently made 
double to correspond with rooms of different colors. 

At the end of a long room in a friend's house there was 
a door with glass at the top, useful in dark days but making 
an ugly cross light with the windows of the room. The 

[259] 



260 OUB HOMES AND THE IB ADOBNMENTS. 

lady of the house dreamed of rich stuffs while she pieced, 
out of olive cotton flannel, four bands of cretonne in a flower 
pattern, two narrow and two wide, and a piece of worsted 
goods flowered on the right side but striped on the wrong, 
none of it new, — a portiere which has been taken for some- 
thing rich and strange, and much admired. 

The lining was some old calico cut a little wider than 
the door. At the bottom was a horizontal strip of the olive 
cotton flannel, then a wide band of cretonne, then the striped 
(wrong side) goods placed perpendicularly, then a narrow 
band of cretonne, then the center of olive cotton flannel 
with the stripes repeated toward the top. 

Old Blue Blankets. 

Another friend had a bare, cheap, new cottage. Money 
was not abundant. Old grandmother-woven indigo-blue 
woolen blankets were. She began sewing in little figures, 
— stars, crescents, and odd stitches in colored silks, — and 
the woolen blanket became a gorgeous fabric. It was hung 
with wooden rings on a length of gilded gas pipe midway 
of the bare hall, and your first impressions on entering were 
of Eastern richness. The double blanket was more than 
enough (heavy materials must hang nearly plain), and a 
piano cover and traveling bag came out of the pieces. The 
embroidery was the work of time, but it was also a work of 
delight. 

POETIERE OF CHINESE EmBROIDEEY. 

On the contrary, a New York friend, with the large 
opportunities and splendid economy of rich people, bought, 
at one quarter the original price, four Chinese embroidered 



SILK RAG AND INGBAIN CARPETS. 261 

dress patterns, giving " only one hundred dollars for them." 
With great skill she combined them in one rich portiere for a 
large double door. 

Silk Rag Cakpet. 

Portieres, as well as curtains, have been made of silk rag 
carpets, — yes, nothing more or less ! Old silks, even soiled 
and faded, are cut in strips as for carpet, and either woven 
with cotton warp, or better still, knitted upon fine ivokry 
needles in stripes and tastefully joined together. If one can 
be content to use only things otherwise worthless, this may 
be desirable; but the temptation is great to cut up what 
might be turned to better account. 

Ingrain Carpet. 

Another portiere we have seen is a great and lasting 
success, for it is of solid wool which in fifty years will still 
be firm of texture and pleasing in color. It is fine ingrain 
carpet of beautiful olive color, quite plain. It can be bought 
in a great variety of colors, but olive and crimson have the 
advantage of fading handsomely. 

Down one side of each breadth (there were four, for it 
covered the space between rooms where there had been 
double doors) was worked in Germantown wool, — a pattern 
which was adopted from a Turkish rug. The pattern was 
outlined in black and filled in with red, pale blue, white, 
and a little gold-colored filoselle. The effect was so good and 
the material so durable that a great comfortable sofa with 
three cushions received a new dress of the same, and the 
children play on the tough material unreproved. 

Let me here suggest that aU decoration in homes where 



262 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

there are children to be thought of (alas ! for those homes 
where there are none) should be of firm, excellent, unfading 
quality in accordance with the loving spirit of Mary, and 
not cultivating the anxious one of her sister. The reward, 
as in all right-doing, will be greater than you expect, for 
your decoration will be better and in nobler taste. 

The Dove Portiere. 

Still another portiere. The idea came from nature's 
enchanting harmony in an ordinary pigeon's colors, — one of 
the dove-tinted, blue-green sort. The material to harmonize 
with a light and "smiliag" drawing-room was of heavy, 
all-wool material, known as diagonal-cloth in a soft dove 
color. It was lined with pale pink silesia. A border of 
" crazy quUt " (see discription of crazy or Japanese quilt 
under chapter on screens) done in blue, green, and dove 
colors, and faint gleams of rose, was laid on at top and 
bottom. 

Velveteen. 

Velveteen is a desirable material for either portieres or 
curtains. Plush is the richest material in use. In one 
drawing-room we have seen the wide doors from the hall 
and library filled by portieres of plush, peacock-blue on one 
side and crimson on the other, without decoration. The 
effect was very rich, but one's limitations are often sugges- 
tive, and where there are limitations there are apt to be 
more ideas, and the charm of an idea wrought into form is 
always greater than the mere impression of richness. 

Smyrna Blankets, Prayer Carpets. 

Very odd portieres are brought home by travelers from 
the East, and imported in great quantities. Stripes of odd 



CURTAINS AND PRICES. 263 

woolen stuff, loosely caught together by coarse woolen cord, 
and embroidered evidently by hand, odd combinations of red, 
black, and white can be seen in fashionable houses. " Prayer 
Carpets," not being needed, are hung up on doors or walls. 

Curtains. 

In furnishing throughout, the curtains and wall-paper 
should be bought first, and the carpet selected as a quiet ac- 
cessory. In no case should the floor be very light or brill- 
iant. 

Peices of Material. 

The price of material does not vary greatly from time to 
time. The subjoined prices will be found nearly correct for 
a long time to come : — 

Cotton momie-cloth, 50 in. wide, in all colors, 

per yd $1.10 

Woolen momie-cloth, per yd 3.00 

Felting, 2 yds. wide, per yd 1.50 

Bolton sheeting, imported from England, per yd. 1.00 

Stamped velveteen, per yd $1.25-2.00 

Cotton flannel or "fashion drapery," every variety 

of color, per yd 0.90 

This is double width, and alike on both sides so that no 
lining is needed. 

Crash is much used. It is woven by Kussian peasants, 
is of varying width, and in lengths from five to ten yards. 
Care should be taken to select handsome, even pieces. The 
widths can be loosely overhanded together, and bands of 
trimming laid on, or braid, or any stripe of decoration can 



264 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

be inserted between the widths. A beautiful decoration is 
a band of Japanese silk piecework in pretty colors, put on 
at top and bottom. 

Unbleached linen and cotton make pretty curtains. 
The former may be beautifully worked in crewels, either 
over the entire curtain, or a band laid on. The latter are 
very pretty with a band of cretonne as trimming, or with 
one of red and one of blue, or one of pink and one of blue, 
and a gay effect is produced. 

Scarfs and Book-Case Curtains. 

In a friend's house we have seen an old and awkward 
book-case converted into two pretty modern ones by saw- 
ing the high one in two, and adding, in one case a cornice, 
in the other a base. Some gold-colored leather was cut in 
strips, pinked, and tacked with pretty tacks on each shelf, so 
that much dust was kept from the books. She then added 
a scarf of old-gold satin, embroidered with a branch of dog- 
wood in Kensington stitch, with a band of plush and a 
fringe as finish. Thrown over the middle of the book-case, 
it made a graceful decoration, and afforded a pretty place 
upon which to arrange a group of bric-a-brac, French 
crackle ware, and odd vases. A more elegant book-case of 
ebonized wood had a curtain in front of old-gold satin, with 
a band about a foot wide of stamped crushed-strawberry 
velvet. The whole could be pushed aside, for it was hung 
with rings upon a gilded rod. 

The top of an easel can often be decorated with some 
scarf or piece of stuff which has been in the house unused 
for years. 



CURTAINS AND OBAMENTAL BELLOWS. 265 

The Latest Foe Curtains. 

The lace curtain is no longer a favorite material for 
window hangings, except for bedrooms; it is then accom- 
panied with a lambrequin of dark green or maroon, which 
colors harmonize well with most other colors. 

Eich, heavy materials, coming in different shades are 
now used for curtains. These are hung upon poles with 
rings. The following are some of the very latest materials, 
viz.: Gozangas silk, fifty inches wide, fifteen dollars per 
yard. Silk canvas, fifty inches wide, twelve dollars per 
yard. Rajah silks, thirty inches wide, two dollars and twenty- 
five cents per yard. Veronna silk, one dollar and twenty 
cents per yard. Two widths for a window are required 
of the two last materials. The Veronna silk is thin in tex- 
ture, and hangs in soft, graceful folds. We saw a lovely set 
in light blue, decorated with hand painting, at the Society 
of Decorative Art. As these materials are very new, but 
few dealers keep them in stock, they may be obtained by 
addressing the Decorative Art Society, Moffat Block, Detroit. 

Ornamental Bellows. 

This pretty innovation is " all the rage " just now. The 
article itself suggests its place on the wall, to be near a fire- 
place or grate. It is both useful and ornamental, as it may 
be used for starting fires, dusting bric-a-brac, and piano 
tuners also use them to blow the dust from the inside of 
pianos. Satin, sateen, velvet or plush, may be used to cover 
the bellows; this cover includes the handles. We saw two 
very pretty ones in the rooms of the Decorative Art Society, 
ot Detroit, one in light blue, and the other in cardinal plush, 
embroidered with gold thread, and crewels of the same color. 
The covers may be embroidered or painted in various pat- 
terns to suit the taste. 



(^^^p>^^^^ JX. 



SCREENS. — HOW TO MAKE THEM. — MATERIALS. — HOW TO USE 
SCREENS TO ADVANTAGE. — HOW TO MAKE SCREENS. — 
HOW TO EBONIZE WOOD. — PAINTED SCREENS. — HOW TO 
USE DISCARDED MATERIAL TO ADVANTAGE IN COVER- 
ING PANELS OF SCREENS. — EMBROIDERED SCREENS. 

HOW TO MAKE THE FRAMES. 




0JO40 



OTHING breaks up the stiffness of a room, and 
nothing serves so many odd purposes, as a fold- 
ing screen. A lady, assisted by a carpenter, con- 
structed a large one of four panels to make a 
dre&sing-room in one corner of a large bed-room. 
Since then it has served to conceal the bed from 
sight in a small hotel room, to hide a Christmas 
tree from sharp little eyes, and as a background 
for the model in a studio. 

The smaller banner and lamp screens are 
often very useful and always graceful and pretty. 
The frame for a panel screen may be constructed by any 
good carpenter who has •well-seasoned wood to work 
with. The wood should be about two and one-half inches 
in width for a large screen. The two uprights of each panel 
look well reaching about two inches below the cross-piece at 

[266] 



HOW TO MAKE AND USE SCBEENS. 



267 



the bottom. A screen of three panels, each five feet high 
and twenty inches ■wide, is perhaps the best balanced. The 
illustration here given will furnish all necessary details bet- 
ter than a description. 




Fig. 59- 

Ebonized wood is undoubtedly the favorite wood, as it 
enhances the beauty of all sorts of decoration. The follow- 
ing is an excellent recipe for 

Ebonizing Wood, 

Though a good carriage-maker can do better than any 
amateur Avorkman: Put a quarter of a pound of best size 
in a stone pot, with sufficient water to cover it. Set it on 



268 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

the stove to melt, but do not let it boil. Then three cents' 
worth of lamp-black, and a little blue black to improve 
the color, should be made to the consistency of paste with 
on. Upon this is poured the melted size, and the two 
mixed thoroughly together. Apply this while warm to the 
wood, and paint thickly enough to look solid. When quite 
dry. varnish with two coats of oil-copal varnish. This 
should be done in a warm room free from dust. The var- 
nish is put on with a large brush, boldly, rapidly, and 
evenly. 

If the article is to have a polished appearance, two coats 
of varnish will answer, but three or four varnishings will be 
needed to give it a dull finish. The rubbing down is done 
with the finest pulverized pumice-stone, mixed with water to 
make it about the thickness of cream, and rubbed on with a 
piece of rag. The rubbing must continue till all inequali- 
ties disappear and the surface is as smooth as glass. It has 
then to be dried with a cloth and polished again with tripoli 
and sweet oil. After drying a second time with soft linen, 
•rub it with starch powder, and finish it with a clean, soft 
linen cloth untU you can see your face in the polished sur- 
face. A single grain of sand or grit on any of the cloths 
would injure the surface. 

Bamboo Sceeens. 

Bamboo screens and easels are very popular. We have 
known them to be made from fishing rods, but suppose the 
bamboo must now be imported on purpose.^ 

Tripods and Fire-Screens. 

The handsome stands are made of gUded iron, having a 
solid base, a slender upright, and a cross-piece from which 



GOVEBING AND DECORATING SCREENS. 26» 

the banner screen is suspended. In England, where an open 
fire is in almost every room, fire-screens are much in use. 
Modern ones are of gilded iron, and screwed to the mantel, 
the banner protecting the eyes of those sitting before the fire. 

An Old Clothes-Horse. 

This frame-work needs but slight explanation, and can 
often be found in a somewhat dilapidated condition in the 
kitchen garret. From thence it can be brought, ebonized 
or painted in successive coats of Venetian or Indian red, and 
covered to suit the taste. 

The Covering and Decoration of Screens. 

Perhaps the handsomest screens are those which are 
painted by hand. We own to a prej udice against painting on 
silk or satin. Fine painting should be on a more enduring 
material, and poor painting should only be done as a stepping- 
stone to what is better. After putting magnesia on the 
back and using your oil-color without additional oil, the 
color will "run" a little. 

As for water-color, you have to use body color, (Chinese' 
white mixed with the ordinary water- colors), and the result 
is a dry surface which seems ready to crack off like white- 
wash. Nevertheless, we have seen some fine effects produced 
both with oil and water-color. French artists of name and 
fame have not scorned fan decoration upon silk and satin. 
Unless, however, great skill has been acquired, we would ad- 
vise one of the following methods : — 

1. Painting with oil-color upon some kind of canvas in- 
tended for the purpose. 

2. Painting with water-color upon paper and protecting 
the work with glass. 



270 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

' 3, Embroidery which seems the dower right of rich stuffs, 
a most natural and beautiful decoration. 

4. Applique work, either onlaid or inlaid, and — 

5. A plain surface adorned with odd bits of decoration, 
birds, fans, pieces of heavy lace, etc. 

As to the first, picture canvas is heavy and very expen- 
sive. We have found oil window shading a very good substi- 
tute, and we have been told that book-binder's cloth serves 
equally well. Either can be nicely stretched upon the 
frame, the edge covered with narrow worsted braid, which 
comes at a cheap rate in thirty-six yard pieces, and tacked 
with upholsterer's tacks. This makes the back of the screen 
neat, and a pretty color of canvas-buff or stone color can be 
selected. 

Flowers have long been a favorite decoration, though 
many speak of the difficulty of finding designs of sufficient 
size and importance for a large screen. It is well to decide 
upon the design for all of the panels before beginning to 
paint. 

^A Pketty Idea 

Is to have the first panel for the spring, the second midsum- 
mer, the third for autumn. The first could be either a long 
branch or double branch of peach or apple blossoms, set, per- 
haps, in a brown vase upon a pretty table-cover. The back- 
ground could be a pale yellowish tint. The second might be 
a mass of roses hanging down from the top with a soft, gray 
background. The third could be a great branch of white 
chrysanthemums coming well across the panel from the left, 
with some crimson and gold blossoms near the frame of the 
screen, as if one hand held the three branches. 



COVERING AND DECORATING SCREENS. 271 

Flowers and Figuees from Nature. 

In studying flowers it is well not to cut them, but paint 
a selected branch while it still grows and rejoices. A branch 
of chrysanthemums or azaleas can never be placed as beauti- 
fully as it places itself upon the parent stem. 

Figures are very appropriate for a screen, but there are 
not many unprofessional artists who have studied the figure 
sufficiently to produce satisfactory results. One young lady 
having great talent, evolved, after some study, a screen from 
a frame made by a carpenter, and. some burlaps for canvas, 
upon which (it had but two panels) she painted a knight 
and a lady. She served, with the aid of a long mirror, for 
her own model for the lady, and an unwilling brother was 
drummed into service as the knight. The burlaps had a 
sizing of paste to fill up the interstices and save paint, 

A Stationary Screen. 

"W^ have seen a sort of partition screen built across a hall 
to convert the back part into a boy's bed-room. The frame 
wab painted a dull red. The burlap was stretched, and a 
pietty group of peacock feathers arranged upon it, with a 
bow of some gay striped stufi" holding the stems. It was in 
an inconspicuous place, and the efiect was excellent. 

Water-Colors. 

Each panel can be divided into sections by a band of 
wood. The frame is thus strengthened, and neither the 
picture nor the glass need be so large. In the water-color 
exhibitions in London, solid screens serve as hanging places 
for many small sketches which would stand but a poor 
chance among the large frames on the wall. 



GLHi^F^a^RR X. 



EMBEOIDERED SCREENS. — JAPANESE PIECE-WORK. — A PAT- 
RIOTIC SCREEN. — NEW USES OF OLD MATERIAL. — A 
QUEER USE FOR AN OLD CLOTHES-HORSE. — LAMBRE- 
QUINS. — TABLES. — CABINETS. — ODDS AND ENDS. — USE 
UP THE PIECES. 



<>>»;« 



HE variety here is immense. All rich stuffs, 
plush, satin, silk, and embossed materials, are 
handsome and may be heavily embroidered, or 
some slight spray worked upon them. 

Sail-cloth makes an exellent panel upon which 
to embroider figures in outline embroidery. The 
stamping can be done in most towns, or an 
ingenious person can transfer designs. 

Cretonne makes a pretty screen. It can be 
embroidered by working in the high lights in 
silk. Many cover it with embroidery, but this 
hardly pays. The first screen we ever saw, consisted of one 
panel, and was made from the rich-flowered dressing-gown 
of one of the ancestors of the family. 

A plain stretch of felting in any pretty color makes a 
beautiful background on which to arrange a group of 

[272] 




JAPANESE PIECEWORK. 273 

feathers, a stuffed bird, or a pair of Japanese fans with the 
handles crossed and tied with a bow of ribbon in a pretty- 
contrasting color. A pair of bird's wings, those of wild 
ducks are very nice, and a fan made of two pretty pieces 
of wall-paper laid in folds and held together at one end (an 
ordinary folding fan) with a large bow of ribbon, looks 
well. This same decoration in larger shape looks well on the 
wall. 

A good use to make of one of those interesting old 
" samplers " which are stowed away in so many houses is to 
stretch it upon a pretty stuff panel of a screen and fasten at 
each comer with a bow of ribbon. If used in a screen with 
more than one panel, the others may be filled with 

Japajstese Piecewoek. 

Collect a quantity of scraps of ribbon, brocade, satin, 
velvet, plush, and silk. If the pieces are small and odd in 
shape, so much the better. Take squares of old muslin, 
lay over them a half thickness of wadding, then baste on 
the pieces, turning in or covering the edges. Put them on 
in as fantastic a way as possible. Many embroider the 
larger spaces with palettes, crescents, arrows, butterflies, two 
rings interlocked, or any odd design, and cover all the seams 
with feather stitch or point russe. Much embroidery is not 
necessary; we have seen blocks which had a loaded ap- 
pearance. Having finished blocks enough for the space, 
sew them nicely together, line, and stretch in your screen. 

Let us here recommend as a constant friend and helper 
to one new in the art of designing, an illustrated dictionary. 
You will find pretty shields, birds, insects, Egyptian symbols, 
and a host of other suggestive designs. 

18 



274 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

One panel of piecework could be varied by a diagonal 
band of plush, or a corner of the same ; or the band could be 
of cloth, and if some learned friend would suggest a Sanscrit 
or Hebrew motto, it could be cut out and appliqued on. We 
have seen a beautiful hanging with an adornment of this 
kind, the letters being about six inches in length, and of 
black on a lighter ground. 

We think some ingenious woman could make a 

Patriotic Screen 

Which would be useful and striking. Take the army blue 
coat which some brave husband or brother wore home. 
Those belonging to the heroic dead are perhaps too sacred to 
be converted even into a thing of beauty. The frame could 
be painted with a succession of coats of Venetian red rubbed 
smooth with pumice-stone and water. The light blue cloth 
could be stretched, and the edges at the back of the screen 
covered with a narrow, dark blue braid and tacked on with 
fancy brass tacks. Across the light blue field could be laid 
a diagonal band of dark blue cloth, fastened on with red 
and gold stitches and with army buttons at intervals. 
Upon the dark blue could be outlined in red, odd designs, 
some favorite motto, or a line from an army hymn. 

The cap, sword, spurs, and pistol make a handsome 
group on the wall with a background of crimson felt. 
Small banner screens (see illustration p. 275) are very 
pretty. The ground- work is of pale blue satin. The border 
in applique is of dark blue velvet, embroidered in crimson 
and gold. The leaves are of velvet, and the stems and 
tendrils of chenille. Any material may be used with this 
design. The cords and tassels are sometimes of beads, but in 
any case they must harmonize in color. 



COVEBING AND DEGOBATING SCREENS. 275 

Lamp Screens. 

Yery pretty lamp screens are made in the same way, and 
mounted upon smaller tripod stands. 




Odd Fan Screens. 

The frame is made of two uprights of bamboo fishing 
rod joined at the top with a piece of bamboo about two 



276 



OUB HOMES AND TREIB ADORNMENTS. 



inches in length, neatly glued and tacked in. The uprights 
are cut off within about four inches of the floor, and three 
short legs are fastened on so as to make a firm spread base. 
The thickest part of the rod serves for these legs, which are 
cut off so as to stand firm upon the floor. A small square 




Fig. 6 1. 

of ebonized wood, or a little Japanese tray or box-cover, 
forms the front of a block in which six Japanese fans are 
set. The handles have to be somewhat cut off so as to fit 
the holes and radiate like the petals of a flower. A double 
purpose is served, — a screen in winter and a fan stand in 
summer. 

Mrs. Gen. Sheridan saw one made from this design, and 
has ordered several from a handy workman who has learned 
to join the bamboo nicely. 



LAMBREQUINS AND TABLES. 277 

Old Clothes-Horse Screen. 

The frame-work was ebonked, the hinges were made of 
two long strips of old-gold colored leather, the two making 
the length of the upright. They were tacked on with brass 
nails on the right side of one panel, on the wrong side of the 
other, and vice versa. A little piece of the wood was cut 
away under the hinges to let the frame fold. The panels 
were covered with some old linen curtains brought from the 
garret. They were nicely stretched, covered with Christ- 
mas and birthday cards, with a border of fancy paper, then 
varnished with white copal varnish. 

Lambrequins. 

They are not as much in use as formerly, being super- 
seded by a valence which will shove aside with the curtains. 
Their stationary character, and the fact that they exclude 
the light from the top, whence it is so desirable, has served 
to make them unpopular, though they are still made in rich 
material, cut in all manner of forms, and trimmed with 
fringe and heavy gimps. 

Tables. 

Many an old table could be made good-looking and use- 
ful by ebonizing the lower part, laying a thickness of wad- 
ding over the top, and covering with a piece of crimson 
felting. Braid or ribbon could be appliqued on a band to 
go round the table, and the edge could be trimmed with 
worsted fringe. I have seen a half-moon-shaped table 
covered with dark blue cloth, and with a fall of worsted 
embroidery which was worked in subdivisions by half a 



278 OUE HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

dozen different friends. A clover-leaf table is now often 
covered with fine crash, and the fall embroidered in crewels. 

Table-Cover. 

The illustration shows a completed design of an orna- 
mental table-cover. The cover is often made very much 




Fig. 62. 

longer, affording an excellent opportunity for decoration, 
and adding, of course, to the cost and labor of making. 

This cover is of fawn-colored cloth, ornamented 
elaborately on the ends in application embroidery. 



ANTIQUE FURNITURE. 279 

The design figures which look dark in the illustration 
are applied in brown cloth; and on each leaf of the large 
middle application figure, apply a piece of dark brown vel- 
vet. Edge all the applied figures with fawn-colored soutache, 
and besides, ornament the pieces of velvet in point russe 
embroidery with fawn-colored saddler's silk. For the lines 
of the design, sew on broad soutache in two shades. The 
cover is bordered with light brown, open silk fringe, an inch 
and a quarter wide. The lining is brown percale. 

A Friendship Cushion 

Is divided by black lines into squares a few inches across, 
and filled in to suit the taste of each worker. 

Japanese quilt, described under chapter on screens, 
makes a handsome chair or sofa cushion, especially so with 
a diagonal band of plush across it. 

Odds and Ends. 

There is just now a great fancy for the old-fashioned 
flax wheel with a tuft of flax tied to the spindle with 
ribbons. It is certainly a picturesque object, and very 
suggestive of the old and charming industry by which our 
grandmothers furnished their linen closets with the ex- 
cellent material of which stray table-cloths and tray-cloths 
come down as heirlooms. We have seen a tiny wheel 
gilded. It was very pretty, but somewhat theatrical. 

Cabinets 

Are the rage at present. We saw one lately which had 
atlorned a garret for years. It now occupies the place of 
honor between the front windows in a handsome house. It 



280 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

has been ebonized, to be sure, and the panels of the doors 
gilded, and a border in brown and gold painted across the 
top of each panel ; but the old thing seems puzzled to find 
itself once more " the top shelf," and seems to consider itself 
an illustration of the ups and downs in this world. 

From Nuremburg have come countless old treasures of 
this sort. We think perhaps the old and dusty city parts 
gladly with some of its age and general mustiness, and 
replaces the old things with new. We Americans, in our 
newness, are equally charmed to acquire things which were 
old one hundred years ago. Many fine old cabinets come 
from Holland, and Italy gives up many treasures to the 
hordes of Americans who come armed with the invincible 
dollar. 

Hall Benches. 

Beautiful inlaid hall benches come in great numbers 
from Milan, Genoa, and Florence. We have heard of three 
within as many weeks coming to the West. All along the 
Hudson River there are treasures of old Dutch work to be 
seen, claw-footed "breeches," a sort of buffet and stout- 
backed old chairs in mahogany. Once upon a time the 
garret of one of the old Dutch houses in Albany gave up its 
own, and the rush of curiosity seekers was immense. The 
South is now considered a promising field for the old furni- 
ture buyer. We have seen a handsome, old-fashioned 
mahogany sideboard brought from there, which was of use 
and beauty far beyond the narrow, "high shouldered" 
things we are accustomed to see. 

Be Oetginal! 

It is a pity that every man and woman in furnishing a 
house cannot work after the fashion of " The Chambered 



ANTIQUE FURNITURE. 281 

Nautilus," making their own house and furniture, or at least 
having it made, after their own needs and notions. This 
originality is the great charm of the antique. 

The furniture was not turned out by the thousand, but 
each piece was constructed either to fill an order or all " out 
of the carver's brain," so that to this, to any day, the charm 
of human expression hangs about the work. 

I think the rage for the antique in furniture, so far as it 
is a fashion, will pass away ; but interesting old things will 
always be treasured by those who feel the charm of old 
associations. 

Use up the Pieces. 

A friend indulged not long ago in some crimson felt for 
a screen. There were some pieces left. With the largest, 
she made the center of a scarf table-cloth, putting some striped 
stuff on each end ; and then there were some long ribbons 
of the felt left. She feather-stitched them in old-gold, and 
threaded them into a willow chair, where they did much 
better than ribbons, not fading, and looking more like use. 
A little piece still remained. She lined it with pasteboard, 
first having worked the motto, "Fast Bind, Fast Find," 
upon it, and made an excellent brush-broom holder for the 
hat rack. 



Glmaf^^rr XI. 



SOME NEW DESIGNS IN EMBROIDERY. — LAMBREQUIN AND 
CURTAINS. — MATERIALS TO USE, AND HOW TO CON- 
STRUCT, — ^AN ELEGANT SOFA PILLOW. — A NEW AP- 
PLIQUE DESIGN. — LACE LAMBREQUIN. 



oj*:o 



A^MBREQUIN AND CURTAINS.— The illus- 
tration is so plain that most ladies can easily 
construct the set with but few suggestions. The 
materials may be readily suited to the means and 
taste of the owner. The lambrequin is com- 
posed of three pieces, their sizes, of course, being 
determined by the window. Each of the side 
pieces has three plaits turning inward, and the 
center piece three plaits running cross-wise. 
The trimmings may be put on to suit the taste, 
the heavier and richer the material, the better 
the effect. The curtains may be canton flannel 
trimmed with lace, or of any material harmoniz- 




ing with the lambrequin. 



Sofa Pillow. 

The material for this really elegant piece should be of 
good quality. The embroidery is worked in the Janina 
stitch, and shows off" to most excellent advantage. The fol- 
lowing colors look quite well, and we recommend the com- 
bination here suggested : Flowers, blue silk ; stamens, 
yellow and red; large leaves, olive green ; and wood, 
brown. The stems, small leaves, and straight lines of the 
border, are worked with golden -brown silk in three shades, 
the stems being darker. The buds are worked in violet 
and cream-colored silk, and the leaves near them in light 
green. Edge the top with heavy cord, and finish the 

[3831 



CURTAINS AND LAMBREQUINS. 



283 



design 
very 
made 
which 



comers with tassels. The material may be some dark cloth, 
suitable to the taste and purse of the possessor. 

Applique De- 
sign for Mantel 
or Windotv. — This 
would be 
elegant if 
of plush, 
is now the 
most popular ma- 
terial. It may, how- 
ever, be worked in 
silk, felt, or flannel; 
in either case, cut 
out your pansies 
from velvet. This 
flower has so many 
hues, colors, and 
shades, that odd 
bits of material, as 
dark red, purple, 
white, old gold, ma- 
roon, — in fact, any 
tint, — may easily 
be worked in with 
most excellent ef- 
fect, two shades be- 
ing used for each 
flower. The leaves 
and buds are made 
of green, and the 
stems of shaded 
green. When com- 
pleted, press the 
work on the wrong 
side, lining it with some suitable heavy material. Work 
the stems in vine chain stitch. For richness of efiect, we 
do not think this design is surpassed. Directions for ap- 
plique work are given on page 241. 

The Lace Lambrequin, illustrated opposite page 284, 
is elegant, and when the other drapery is of lace, it is very 




Curtain and Lambrequin. 



284 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 




Pillow in Janina Stitch. 




Applique 



appropriate. These lam- 
brequins can be found at 
the stores ready made, 
with nothing to do but 
fasten them to the cor- 
nice, which should be 
made to stand out so 
as to hold the lambre- 
quin clear of the cur 
tains. The variety of 
designs is almost infin- 
ite, those with fern 
leaves being preferred. 



^MM.^mMM ^WW. 



^BP^AMIGS AND GniGHIKG. 



PAINTING VASES AND PLAQUES IN OIL COLOES WITHOUT 
"FIRING"— FULL DIRECTIONS FOR THE WORK.— HOW TO 
SECURE GOOD EFFECTS IN COLORING.— ETCHING WITH 
INK, A NEW AND USEFUL ART.— BEAUTIFUL WORK FOR 
SKILLFUL HANDS. 




.><.«^0o<. 



HE art of painting on China witli Mineral Colors 
and then "firing" is beyond question the best 
method of preserving the colors, but as kilns for 
firing can be supported in none but the largest 
cities, the expense and risk attendant upon the 
transportation and firing of pieces which have 
cost weeks of patient effort, render the general 
practice of the method impracticable. 

However, within a very recent period, the 

practice of painting with oil colors on vases, 

plaques, jars, etc., in imitation of fired wares, 

has become popular, and there are no obstacles to prevent 

its general introduction. The ware is called 

[28fi] 



286 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

Teeealine. 

The articles are ready for the application of paints, var- 
nishes and enamel, and come either plain or with buds, 
vines and flowers in relief. 

They can be purchased of local dealers in artist's mater- 
ials, or of J. J. West, Wabash Avenue, Chicago. 





Directions. 

The following hints will aid the beginner, and experience 
■will teach the earnest student. 

Good fresh oil colors are used in the same manner as for 
painting on canvas. 

Fine artist brushes of bristle and red sable are used. 
Clean them carefully after using, with soap and warm water. 

A solid uniform color on the body of the vase or plaque 
should be painted with two coats of paint. For the first 
coat prepare on the palette a sufiftcient quantity of paint, of 
the desired tint of color, to cover the whole body of the 



CERAMICS AND ETCHINGS. 287 

vase or plaque ; then mix the paint in a small cup with a 
preparation composed of 6 parts Turpentine, 3 parts of 
Siccatif de Harlem, 1 part Linseed Oil ; allow the first coat 
to become thoroughly dry before putting on the second 
coat. For the second coat, prepare the desired tint or color 
on the palette in sufficient quantity to cover the whole body 
of the vase or plaque, and in a small cup or saucer, have a 
mixture composed of 3 parts Siccatif and 1 part Linseed Oil ; 
dip the brush from time to time in the mixture, and use with 
the oil color when painting. 




The amateur will follow nature's coloring^of the leaves 
and flowers, but not too closely ; a little exercise of the 
imagination, as regards coloring, will enhance the effect. 

Leaves, flowers and blossoms, in high relief, are an ex- 
tremely handsome and very desirable decoration for plaques 
and vases. The leaves may be painted either a rich yellow- 
green, or a rich blue-green ; the flowers may be painted 
either white, canary, salmon, pink, carmine, bright crimson, dark 
crimson, violet, lilac, purple, orange, maroon or variegated with 
white and either of these colors. The petal is usually a lighter 
tint at the center than at the outer edge ; the stamens are a 
golden-yellow color. 



288 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

A very fine result is obtained by painting the back- 
ground of the vase or plaque as a distant landscape, either 
Oriental, European or American. 




On© of the richest looking and most effective back- 
grounds for plaques is obtained by starting with a light 
mahogany color, then shading and blending it into a dark 
mahogany color, and from that into a deep green. The 
©olors to be used are Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Van- 
dyke Brown, Dark Zinnober Green. The work is finished 
with varnish, or two coats of amber enamel. 

Amber Enamel is a valuable preparation of real Amber, 
and produces the most durable, brilliant, hard glaze, quite 
similar in appearance to pottery glaze. 



ETCHINGS ON LINEN. 289 

After the enameling is completed and the enamel is 
quite dry, a novel and pleasing effect may be produced by 
tipping the edges of some of the leaves or flowers with gold 
paint or silver paint, or by lighting up the background with 
touches, flashes, shadings, or mottlings of gold paint or 
silver paint ; or the whole background without any previous 
painting or enameling may be covered with gold or silver 
paint ; or the background may be painted in oil colors and 
the leaves and flowers done in gold or silver. 

Be careful not to allow dust to settle on the vase or 
plaque while painting or enameling, or while the paint or 
enamel is drying. 

g— JL-g 

c^^ GTGHINGS on lilNBN. 

This favorite mode of decoration may be better known 
by the term "Etchings on Linen." As "etching" implies 
corrosion by acid — while no acid is used either in the pre- 
paration or application of the inks used in this work — we 
think the term " Sketching " more appropriate. The sketch- 
ing is done with a pen and indelible ink, upon linen or satin 
jean. First-class ink and good fine pointed pens are neces- 
sary. For fine linen use Gillott's Maping Pen, No. 291. 

In sketching on linen, it is necessary to prepare the sur- 
face to receive the ink. A kind of sizing is applied. This 
sizing may be a rather thin solution of Gum Arabic. The 
white of an Qgg and water well beaten together is often used. 
Apply the sizing to the side to be etched upon, either witli 
brush, sponge, or soft rag. After it is dry, press out with a 
moderately hot iron. The fabrics must be entirely free 
from the startchy substance usually found in linen. 

Draw the linen smoothly over a board and secure with 



290 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

drawing pins or thumb tacks. The design to be sketched 
Bhould be placed between the board and the linen. 

The ink must be applied lightly and kept on the surface. 
Broad lines are made by several light strokes of the pen, not 
by one heavy stroke, After the decoration is completed, 
allow at least an hour to dry in the sun. Bear in mind that 
the longer the design is exposed to the sun, the deeper jet 
the color will be. By exposing some parts longer than 
others, very pretty shades may be produced. 

When complete, lay the design flat in a bowl of hot water, 
let it remain a few moments until the sizing or any excess of 
ink has left the cloth, when it may be thoroughly rinsed, 
dried and ironed. 

In using satin jean, be careful to sketch across the grain 
of the material to avoid a spluttering of the pen. 

Many articles of home adornment may thus be made. 

Dessert doylies are often decorated by this art. They 
should be about eight inches square, the edges finished by 
fringing the material, or by a line of hem stitch or drawn 
work. These doylies are used at table for putting glasses 
upon during dessert ; they are also placed underneath fin- 
ger bowls. 

Only a slight knowledge of drawing is required to enable 
one to sketch successfully on linen. The most suitable 
designs are those in outline, which any one can trace 
from numerous illustrations found in magazines, comical 
" situations" taken from Fuck, subjects from "Baby land," 
" Kate Greenaway Designs," "The Art Amateur," and many 
other sources, which may be suggested by those given. 

Especial inks, in various colors, and the sizing required 
for sketching the designs may be obtained by addressing, 
Mr. F. A. Whiting, Boston, Mass. 



KENSINGTON PAINTING, 



291 




Kensington Painting, so called because it is an imitation 
of tlie silk embroideries done with the needle at the Ken- 
sington School of Arts, is not by any means merely the easy 
fancy work which some suppose it to be, but requires an 
intimate knowledge of oil paints, shading, and nicety of 
touch. As in all handiwork, whether it be with brush, pen 
or needle, poor and tawdry work may be produced, but there 
have been exquisite pieces of Kensington Painting done by 
careful workers, which, at a very short distance, could 
scarcely be distinguished from the needle work it is intended 
to represent. All written explanation of artistic work must 
necessarily fall short of the actual teaching, but the follow- 
ing rules, if carefully adhered to, must give a fair idea of 
the modus operandi. 

The Tube Paints, which are used for canvas work, are 
also employed for needle painting. Use them just as they 
come from the tubes, as the purer the paint the easier it is 
to work with, besides giving a heavier appearance to the 
whole. Sometimes, when the paint seems to dry, moisten 
with a drop of turpentine or linseed oil. Use a broad- 
bladed knife for the paints, as it is more convenient than a 
palette. Hold the handle in the left hand, with the sharj. 
edge of the knife towards you. Two pens, long-pointed as 
possible, one smaller than the other for the more delicate 



292 



OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 



work of finishing off; a camel's hair brush, No. 5, cut down 
or square off until it is stumpy or cannot be rolled to a 
point; a darning needle, No. 18 or 20, and a moderately 
fine sewing needle, with the eye-point stuck in a pencil or 
"brush handle to make it firm. 




Now, suppose we have a s^ay 
of white daisies and a fern sketch- 
ed on a piece of black velvet. First 
stretch the velvet (the pile must not be 
too long nor thick,) on a smooth bit of 
board such as goods are rolled on in the 
stores, use very small tacks or headless pins 
for this purpose ; leave no wrinkles in the velvet, 
and work down the velvet pile as much as possi- 
ble. For the white of the daisies, put upon the 
knife as much zinc paint as will complete the 
flowers. With the coarse pen, holding the hollow 
part from you, slice off a small lump of paint from the 
■whole ani work it from side to side of the pen, on the 
knife, till well worked and soft; then drawthepointof thepen 
through the paint sideways, with the hollow from you, until 
there is a strip of paint in the narrow part to the point of the 
pen. Now begin at the top of the flower, stick the pen into 
the pile of the velvet, just as you would put the ink on paper, 
and leave the paint as near the top of the leaf as possible. 
Then, with the fine pen, begin at the top and stroke the 
paint down, opening the nibs of the pen' wide in doing 
so. Always let the dark of the velvet be the shade at* the 



KENSINGTON PAINTING. 



293 



bottom of the flower. Do not be afraid of putting too mnch 
paint on the pen or the flower will look flat and thin. With 
a little practice the worker will see that the strokes of the 
pen will produce a thread like appearance. 

For the larger leaves, take the brush, holding it 
straight up and down, put it right into a lump of paint, 
whatever is being used, twirl it round until 
you have it thick with paint at the top ; 
press it down into the pile of velvet at the 
top of the flower or leaf and roll the handle 
of the brush between the thumb and first 
finger lightly, leaving the paint on the 
sides ; then use the pen as before. The 
brush is used more for larger designs, 
where it is necessary to use much paint 
and thick. Of course this expedites 
the work but must be practiced thor- 
oughly before the brush can be used 
Instead of the pen. 

In using paints for the leaves, where 
bright colors are required, do not put 
them on separately but mix them light- 
ly with the pen. For instance for a rose leaf, instead of using 
all green and then putting veins in with something else, mix 
a little green, Indian red, yellow and burnt sienna ; then 
apply with the pen as with the white and stroke. In doing 
this the paint will look more like the varied silks. 

For the stems, take the darning needle and roll it through 
the paint until it is thickly covered, then pass the needle 
heavily down the middle of the stem, which will leave the 
paint more to the sides. The needle is used in the same 
manner for ferns, using the smaller one for the finer work. 




294 



OUR HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 



Of course, in doing ferns or leaves of a decided green, such 
as those of lilly-of-the-valley, the greens are used alone ; but 
a touch of red or yellow may be added here and there after- 
wards to give character to the work. 

It will be a decided improvement to Kensington work if, 
while the paint is moist, to sprinkle diamond dust over the 
piece. Let the velvet remain on the board till dry, and 
afterwards it can be thoroughly dusted with a whisk with- 
out injury. 




t 



^MM.:^mM'M ^MWW^ 



UlSSm^A •:•:• ©AINTING. 



LUSTEA PAINTING, BRONZE PAINTING, PRISMATINE, ETC. 
ARE SOME OF THE NAMES BY WHICH THE ART OF 
PAINTING IN BRONZE POWDERS IS KNOWN. JT ORI- 
GINATED IN ENGLAND. 




xMONGST art decorations, bronze painting justly 
commands a foremost place. The rapidity and 
ease with which a large piece of work may be 
produced is one of its greatest charms. Work 
that requires little study, that can be quickly 
done, and that makes a good show for the time 
expended on it, is certain to find favor with 
those who have but few leisure moments to spare. 
Bronze painting can be taken up at any mo- 
ment, and can be laid aside acjain without fear 
of any detriment to the painting ensuing. De- 
signs which would take long days to embroider in silks can 
be filled in with the brush most expeditiously, and the most 
brilliant effect can be obtained with the smallest amount of 

295 



296 OUB HOMES AND TRUIR ADOllNMJENTS. 

labor. Bronze colors can be utilized in decorating number- 
less objects, for they can be applied to various materials, 
such as plush, velvet and velveteen, satin, silk, Boman 
sheeting, linen, wood, and terra cotta. Plush and velvet 
are the fabrics best adapted for showing off to advantage 
the lustrous colors. Eich deep shades should be chosen; 
for instance, dark olive green, maroon, brown, crimson and 
black are all well adapted for the purpose. White and 
delicately-tinted fabrics can also be employed, but are not so 
satisfactory as the darker colors. Both satin and silk should 
be good in quality, for the painting needs a thick rich 
ground to set it off. 







LllSIt OP @OLOI^S AND fflATBI^IfiLS. 

The following list of colors gives all the shades that are 
necessary for the most varied designs. Boxes filled with 
eight or ten colors, a few brushes, a bottle of medium and 
one of clearing solution, are all that is requisite to make a 
start with ; as larger work and more complicated patterns 
are attempted, the number may be increased if desired. 

Silver, Deep Copper, Green, 

Green Gold, Crimson, Black, 

Bright Gold, Steel Blue, Bright Green, 

Deep Gold, Purple, Bright Blue, 

Copper, Deep Violet. 



LUSTBA PAINTING. 



297 



all of which can be procured at the art stores, or by sending 
to a dealer in artists' paints. 

Conventionalized fruit and flower and arabesque designs 
are alone suitable for bronze painting. The designs should 
be treated in a bold, free style ; all minute details being 
rigidly excluded, for they detract from the distinctness of 
the pattern. Large, simple flowers and foliage are best, as 
for ttastance, pomegranates, oranges, iris, and lilies. The 
Virginia creeper is charming either on a black or white 
ground ; the autumnal shades, that give such a chance of 
rendering a gorgeous bit of coloring, are a power in artists' 
hands, of which few are slow to avail themselves. 




For large pieces of work, as fire screens and counterpanes, 
this method of combining painting with needle-work is 
particularly recommended. 

.j|.©AINJFING :-0N vUbLYEJUBBN.-S* 



When the painting is executed on velveteen, or on any 
material having a rough surface, hog's hair brushes can be 
advantageously employed; it is necessary also that a much 
larger quantity of bronze should be added to the medium, 
that the mixture may be thicker. Two methods may be 
followed in painting on rough textures. Either the design 



298 OTJR HOMES AND TREIB ADOBNMENTS. 

may be grounded in every part and the shades brought out 
only with other colors ; or, the shadows may be painted so 
thinly that the fabric beneath, being only slighty covered, 
will assist in rendering them ; it is this thin painting which 
forms the peculiarity of velveteen painting. In painting 
flowers, as also leaves, the edges are first gone over with the 
brush to make an outline, the ground is then filled in at 
once. To ground large leaves, edge the lighter part with a 
full brush, then with the same color paint it in, working 
from the tip of the leaf downwards towards the stem. Great 
care must be observed that the layer is not streaky, as it is 
sure to be if the brush is dragged over the surface, Now, 
edge the darker half and fill that in — but tor this the brush 
should be somewhat less fully charged, that the fabric may 
be partially visible through the color. 

Yeining the leaves is done with a sable brush and a thin 
mixture, and the stems are also put in with the same. 

To obtain bright high lights they should be well covered, 
and worked always in the same direction. Slight touches 
may at times be required, such as a thin shade of a lighter 
or darker color over some part or parts of the high lights ; 
these can be added by using a dry and finely pointed brush 
which has been slightly dipped in dry bronze ; it is applied 
while the work is still in a moist state. A most brilliant 
appearance is imparted to the painting by this mode of pro- 
cedure. 

During painting, the brushes are cleaned in turpentine 
and dried on a piece of linen when fresh colors are required, 
but when blending one color into another it is best not to 
cleanse them, but simply to take up the second color with 
the brush just as it is, as the shade is thus naturally toned 
into the next, almost imperceptibly. 

Charming tints'for leaves are composed by mixing vari- 
ous colors ; as for example, green silver, which may be com- 



PAINTING ON VELVETEEN. 299 

bined with gold. The autumnal shades, in which a design 
of Virginia creeper may be successfully wrought out, are 
well represented by judicious mixtures of crimson, green and 
black, and by washing gold or silver over a green ground. 

Stei 1-blue bronze is useful for shading green leaves where 
the deepest shade is required. 

When green is added to steel-blue bronze, a deeper green 
is obtained quite different in shade to that produced as. 
above. 

Light violet mixed with green is a good mixture for 
stems. 

Light copper, light green, or steel-blue are often used to 
shade white flowers. 

Bright mineral green combined with light green makes 
a most desirable color for foliage, but it is too vivid to use 
pure in any quantity. 

Should the deep gold be all used up, it may be closely- 
imitated by a mixture of violet and green gold or pale gold. 

The cleansing of brushes must not be omitted when 
putting work aside. Should one be forgotten, it must be 
allowed to soak in the turpentine set apart for that purpose. 

That the painting can be executed as well by artificial 
light as in the daytime is an advantage that will commend 
it to those who have only the evening at leisure for following 
their bent in regard to the production of artistic decora- 
tions. Many would be glad to improve the look of their 
rooms by the introduction of a little bright color here and 
there, only they have no time to spare, for their days are 
fully occupied. To such, bronze painting is a boon for 
which they have reason to be grateful. A bright lamp will 
suffice to show up the colors, and will even add to their 
brilliance. 



300 OUB R0ME8 AND THEIB ABQJtNMENTS. 

UASBS and SiPATUEipinB. 

The cheap but graceful white and cream colored vases, 
statuettes, figures, etc., in plaster, sold by Italian venders, 
can be rendered very beautiful ornaments by painting with 
bronze powder. 

The method is simple, requiring nothing but white or 
Demar varnish and two or more packages of bronze powder, 
to be had at any paint store. Two shades of bronze are 
desirable as the effect is quite good. 

With a small brush apply the varnish to the object to 
be coated and dust on the powder before it dries. Let the 
varnish be thin. If it dries before the powder is put on, 
apply the varnish to a smaller surface, and immediately dust 
on the powder. 

The lighter colored powder is to be used where the light 
would strike the vase, and the darker color fills the naturally 
shaded parts. 

The work should be done on a table upon which a paper 
has been spread, and when nearly dry the surplus powder 
should be dusted off. If desirable, varnish may now be put 
on, but it does not improve the appearance very much. 

Bronze powder may be applied to wood in the same way. 

If desirable, mix the powder with the varnish and apply 
with a brush. 

Should the desire be to coat the object temporarily, 
mucilage may be used instead of varnish. 



jtA« 



r^f-t 



fm 




THE CARE, 




V 






CULTURE, t PROPAGATION 



■^ OF 







[SOI? 



Enough for great and small; 
The oak-tree and the cherry-tree, 

"Without a flower at all. 
We might have had enough, enough 

For every want of ours, 
For luxury, medicine, and toil, 

And yet have had no flowers. 

Our outward life requires them not; 

Then wherefore had they birth ? 
To minister delight to man, 

To beautify the earth; 
To comfort man, to whisper hope. 

Whene'er his faith is dim. 
For whoso careth for the flowers 

WiU care much more for Him. 

— Mary Howitt. 



[3021 



Glmj^f^rr I. 



THE CULTUEE OF FLOWERS. — HOW TO HAVE THEIYING 
PLANTS AND ABUNDANCE Of' FLOWERS. — USEFUL SUG- 
GESTIONS. — HOW TO CONSTRUCT AND MANAGE HOT- 
BEDS AND FLOWER-BEDS. 




oJ»<o 



I HERE is no employment which tends to the 
development of the better nature of men and 
women more than the culture of flowers. How- 
ever humble the circumstances, the possession 
and culture of at least a few choice varieties, 
•will make the home more tidy, and lend an air 
of refinement not to be attained in any other 
way. An English \N'riter says: "To have a 
flower garden is to have many friends con- 
tinually near. Indeed, who will say that flowers 
do not lend a companionship to those who faith- 
fully care for them?" 

There is perhaps no better index of refinement in a 
home than the presence of flowers. It is no doubt very 
difficult in large cities, where the yards are of small dimen- 
sions, to do much in the way of flower gardens, but even 
there a few varieties, planted in the back yard, can be made 

[303] 



304 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

to furnish many a bouquet for the breakfast, dinner, or tea- 
table. 

In the smaller cities and towns, and in the country, no 
excuse can be offered for the neglect of flowers. 

Many plead want of time, but the excuse is not a good 
one, for but few minutes per day are required, and these 
few minutes furnish just such relaxation as eveiy one needs 
to keep away the wrinkles, cares, and perplexities of regular 
employment; besides, the satisfaction and happiness gained 
in their care generally repay the possessor for all the atten- 
tion they require. 

Beief Hints on SowrNG and Cultivating. 

In the outset do not make the common mistake of most 
new beginners, and undertake too many varieties at once, 
giving all the same treatment, for defeat will attend the 
efibrt. 

A good plan is to procure a seed catalogue, like D. M. 
Ferry & Co.'s, of Detroit, and others, which will tell you 
what every flower is, its culture, and when to expect 
flowers. Select from the catalogue a dozen or more good 
varieties, and content yourself with their culture until 
you can secure good results, and then increase your stock. 

The following hints will be of value in their care and 
culture: — 

Selection of Varieties. — Success In flower culture depends 
quite largely upon a judicious selection of varieties. Every 
sort is, under certain conditions, attractive and desirable; but 
some of them, while exceedingly beautiful under favorable 
circumstances, will be most unsatisfactory and little better 
than weeds under others. 



SOWING AND CULTIVATING FLOWERS. 305 

The Soil. — Another great object to be considered is the 
soil into which flower seeds are to be sown. The soil best 
adapted to flowering plants generally, is a light, friable loam, 
containing a sufiicient amount of sand to render it porous. 
A great many varieties will live in almost any kind of soil, 
except it be extremely dry, calcareous, or of a stiff", heavy 
character; still, to give them a fair chance for development, 
some little pains should be taken in adding to the soil, as 
much as possible, what may be wanting in it. Most flowers 
are better if produced on plants of most vigorous growth, so 
the greater portion of the garden should be prepared by 
deep digging, thorough pulverization, and liberal enriching 
with large quantities of well-rotted manure. On the other 
hand, some sorts do best on very poor soil, so a portion of 
the garden should be left without enriching at all. As the 
process of germination is shorter or longer in the different 
kinds of seeds, the patience of the cultivator is often sorely 
tried with seeds of a slowly germinating character; the 
patience of a devoted florist, however, is never exhausted in 
these manipulations, and the certainty of his final success 
repays him fully for the trouble. 

Sowing the Seed. — Nine-tenths of the failures in flower 
culture come from improper treatment of the seeds and 
young plants; and we urge every one who makes an attempt 
to train and care for flowers, to study our descriptions of 
each variety found in the succeeding pages, observing the 
following general rules : — 

Make the surface as fine and smooth as possible. Do 
not plant any of the seeds when the ground is wet. 

Cover each sort of seed to a depth proportionate to its 
size; the finest, like portulaca, not more than one-quarter 

20 



306 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

inch deep; those the size of a pin head one-half inch, and 
those as big as a pea one inch. 

Press the soil down firmly over the seed. After making 
the soil as fine as possible with the rake, make it, for the 
smaller seeds, still finer, by crushing the lumps up in the 
hands. 

Procure a bit of lath (it would be better if planed 
smooth) about two feet long, press the edge down into the 
soil evenly, so as to make a groove as deep as the seed is to 
be planted; scatter the seed along this, allowing four or five 
of the larger, or fifteen to twenty of the smaller seeds to the 
space one plant is to occupy when grown. Take care not 
to spill any of the seeds between the rows. Cover the seed 
by pinching the earth together over it ; then turn your lath 
flat-ways, and press the soil down firmly and evenly. 

Put a little stick at each end of each row, so as to mark 
it, then pull up all weeds that appear between the rows the 
first day they can be seen. Do not pull plants out of the 
row unless you are sure they are weeds. 

Classification of Flowers. 

All flowers, raised from seed, are usually known as 
Annuals, Biennials, or Perennials. 

Annuals are those plants which flower or ripen their 
seeds or fruits the season they are sown, and then perish. 
This class of plants is again divided by the cultivator into 
two classes, — the Hardy, and the Half-hardy or tender kinds. 

Hardy Annuals are those which require no artificial 
heat at any period of their growth, every stage of their 
development, from germination to ripening of the seed, being 
passed in the open ground. 



CLASSIFICATION OF FLOWERS. 307 

They are the most easily cultivated of all plants; the 
number of their varieties is large, and their flowers, when 
properly grown, are frequently of most attractive beauty 
and elegance. It is only to be regretted that they are not 
generally cultivated to that extent to which their merit 
justly entitles them. The seed may be sown from the first 
of April to the middle of June, along the border, in little 
patches four or six inches square, or in drUls, on the spot 
where they are wanted to blossom ; and in doing so, care 
should be taken to have the different varieties arranged in 
such a manner as to produce a pleasing effect when they are 
in bloom. 

Half-hardy Annuals are those species that flower and 
ripen their seeds in the open air, but need the assistance of 
artificial heat in the earlier stages of their growth. They 
should be sown in a hot-bed, or in pots in a green-house, if 
one is available, or in a sunny window. Keep them well 
shaded, which will prevent absorption by the rays of the 
sun, and the consequent necessity of frequent watering, 
which bakes the soil, and does much mischief to seeds of 
slow growth. Toward the middle or end of May, many of 
the seedlings will be ready for transplanting to borders; but 
previous to this exposure, it will be necessary to harden 
them, preparatory to removal, by gradually admitting air 
to the frame both day and night. 

Biennials and Perennials. — Biennials are those plants 
that do not generally fiower the first year, and are only in 
perfection one season. Perennials continue to flower several 
years in succession. The seed may be sown, as has already 
been stated, at times when the ground is moist, but not 
very wet, from the first of April to August. Many of them 



308 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

may be raised in the open ground, like hardy annuals, and 
transplanted; but tender or half-hardy kinds should be 
sown as directed for half-hardy annuals. As they do not 
generally bloom the first year, they may be thinned out or 
removed from the seed-bed as soon as they are well rooted, 
and planted either in different parts of the garden, or into 
nursery beds, in rows a foot apart. The haK-hardy or 
tender biennials must be kept during winter in a green- 
house or dry cellar, and tender perennials must be protected 
from frost by a cloth or mat being fastened or tied around 
them, and covered afterward with leaves or litter. 

Brief directions for sowing are given in our descriptions 
of varieties; still, to render success more certain, a careful 
observance of the above directions, which are based on the 
practical experience of growers, will be found of great 
benefit to inexperienced florists. 

Hot-bed Culture. — Many varieties of flowers can scarcely 
be brought to perfection without the assistance of hot-bed or 
cold-frame, and much care is often necessary in transplant- 
ing, sheltering, and pricking out the young plants. It is a 
work that requires much experience, and no doubt many 
disappointments will naturally occur. Still, a hot-bed is a 
necessity, without the aid of which many of our choicest and 
most beautiful flowers cannot be successfully grown. Ex- 
perience is a rapid teacher, and the lover of flowers is an apt 
scholar. 

How TO Make a Hot-Bed. 

A hot-bed that may be used for the germination of either 
flower or garden seeds, may be made at little expense in the 
following manner; If possible, it should be built against 



HOW TO MAKE A HOT-BED. 309 

the south side of a shed or board fence, as this arrangement 
will protect it from winds and will increase the heat. Con- 
struct a box or frame of boards, two feet high on the side 
that is to face the south, and one and one-half feet higher on 
the opposite side; when the frame is in place, fill it with 
nearly fresh manure from a horse stable, to the depth of one 
and a half feet. Fit sashes, with panes of glass lapping like 
shingles, over the top, and let it stand two or three days, or 
longer if the weather is cold; now fill in on top of the 
manure from four to six inches of good, rich, finely pulver- 
ized garden soil, which, if of stiff clay, should be mixed 
with sand, and cover the bed as before ; leave it for a few 
days, taking the precaution to raise a bank of earth around 
the outside of the frame to further protect it. After a 
few days, stir the soil and sow the seeds in drills marked 
with flat sticks. Label the sticks with each variety. Give 
the bed fresh air each day, and sprinkle with warm water 
as often as may be required. 

Use great care in attending to the bed. When the day 
is warm the sash should be lifted, and replaced at night, and 
unless it is cold enough to chill the plants, fresh air should 
be admitted, at all times. 

It sometimes happens that the bed "heats," and it is 
necessary then to watch it closely. Examine it by plunging 
the hand down several inches; if it is hot, remove the sash, 
use water, not cold, and make deep holes in the bed with 
sticks for the escape of heat, and fill them up when the heat 
is reduced. If the nights are very cold, cover the frame with 
mats or blankets. If such a frame is made large enough, 
garden vegetables can be had several weeks earlier than 
when gTown in the ordinary manner. 



310 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

Flowers may also be raised by planting the seeds in the 
pots intended for them, and sinking them in the hot-bed. 

The Flower Garden. 

Where it is possible, flower gardens should be so located 
as to be shaded from the afternoon sun. Elaborate beds 
are to be avoided unless one has abundant time to devote to 
their care. An endless variety of simple designs for beds 
can be arranged, and the simpler the better for the effect, 
unless much elaboration can be afforded. 

Spade the beds very deep and mix manure, sand, and 
rotted leaves with the soil, raising them very little above the 
surface. 

For borders, use brick set edgewise, large, smooth pebbles, 
or narrow planking. Strips of turf, if the grass is kept well 
clipped, also make a pretty border. 

Well-sodded mounds, topped with low flowers, look quite 
pretty, but in dry weather they are very liable to dry out, 
and need abundance of water. 




(^;^_^p,/jv;^^ ff^ 



DESCRIPTION OF VARIETIES. — A LIST OF BULBS, WITH METH- 
ODS OF TREATMENT. — CLIMBERS. — ANNUALS. — VARIE- 
TIES SUITABLE FOR ALL PURPOSES. 



oJ»=Jo 



HE following descriptions will be of great value 

in the selection of flowers. The list includes all 

kinds, — Climbers, Bulbs, Annuals, and Hardy 

Shrubs. 

Bulbs. 

Tuberose. — Of all the summer flowering, bulb- 
ous plants, we think the tuberose the most desira- 
ble. The flowers are waxy white, double, and 
so fragrant as to perfume the whole atmosphere 
for some distance around. They are useful for 
making button-hole bouquets, in large bouquets, or 
as single specimens. Each bulb flowers only once, but th^ 
smaller bulbs can be set out for future flowering when their 
growth is completed. A good way to grow tuberoses is tcj 
fill five-inch pots half full of cow manure, and the remainder 
with good, rich earth, mixed with sand. Plant the bulbs in 
this in April, water moderately, and hasten growth by 
putting in a warm, light place When the weather has be- 




312 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

come warm, plunge the pots in the earth, out of doors. 
They will usually flower before cold weather in autumn; if 
they do not, the pots can be brought in, and they will 
bloom in the house. 

Cyclamen. — Well-known and universally admired 
bulbous-rooted plants, producing exceedingly handsome red 
and white flowers. The seed should be sown in spring, and 
by autumn will produce a bulb, which if potted and placed 
in a conservatory or green-house, will blossom the following 
spring. Propagated only from seed. 

Cyclamen, persicuTn, mixed, green-house variety of 
great beauty, and many colors. 

Madeira-Vine. — Tuberous-rooted climber, with glossy 
green leaves and delightfully fragrant white blossoms, some- 
times called, " Mignonette vine." It is of rapid growth, and 
from a few tubers, vines will be produced sufficient to cover 
one side of a cottage. The tubers are tender, and must be 
protected from frost during the winter. 

Lily. — The lily has been, with eminent propriety, styled 
the "Queen of Flowers," and truly no flower conveys so 
adequate an idea of queenly beauty, majestic grandeur, and 
faultless purity, as the Lily. Their culture is simple, and 
with a little care, failure is impossible. Select a deep, rich 
soil, enrich it well with thoroughly decomposed manure, and 
set the bulbs from three to six inches deep, according to size. 
In the autumn the bed should be protected by a liberal 
covering of leaves or litter, and care should be taken that 
the bulbs have proper drainage, no water being allowed to 
stand around the roots. The bulbs can be transplanted 
either in spring or autumn, but should be kept out of the 
ground the shortest possible time. Once firmly established, 



DESGRIFTION OF BULBS. 313 

they should not be disturbed of tener than once in five years. 
Many of the varieties force well in the green-house, but are 
more suitable for parlor culture. 

Bleeding Heart. — This is a tuberous-rooted plant, 
blooming in the spring, and favorably known almost every- 
where. It requires only the ordinary culture of border 
plants. Roots planted in autumn will flower freely in the 
spring. The roots should be divided every third year. 
The flowers are a delicate pink color, very graceful, pro- 
duced continuously from May to July. 

Dahlia. — The dahlia has always been a favorite for 
autumn flowering. The flowers are so symmetrical and 
perfect, and the range of brilliant colors so wide and varied, 
that they will always be popular where display is wanted. 
The roots are tender, and easily injured by frost. They 
should be set out' three feet apart, after all danger of frost 
is over, and placed in a cool cellar, and not be allowed to 
freeze during winter. The plants should be supported by 
tying to stakes. 

Gladiolus. — Magnificent plants, with sword-like leaves 
and long spikes of flowers of every conceivable color and 
shade. The varieties are now numbered almost by thou- 
sands, each year bringing forth new and choice selections 
which have been produced from seed, this being the only 
method of obtaining new varieties. The bulb, which is 
produced from seed, requires three years' growth before 
being of sufiicient size to flower well. They should be taken 
up on approach of winter, and kept from freezing till warm 
weather in spring, and then planted out in groups and 
borders. 

Calla. — An old and very desirable plant, either as an 



314 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

aquatic, or for the ornamentation of the drawing-room and 
conservatory. Thrives in any light, rich soil when plenti- 
fully watered. The seeds, which should be sown in green- 
house in early spring, produce small bulbs in the fall, which 
should be repotted in rich soil. The production of large 
plants from seed takes some time, but the beautiful creamy- 
white flowers are an ample reward for the care and patience 
bestowed. Half-hardy perennial. 

Climbers. 

Clematis. — Well known and universally admired climb- 
ers, some of the varieties being remarkable for the beauty 
and fragrance of their blossoms. Fine for covering arbors, 
verandas, etc., as they cling readily to almost any object. 
Most of the kinds are hardy, herbaceous perennials, but 
some little protection in Northern latitudes, through winter, 
is advised. Will do well in any good garden soil. 

Cypress-Vine. — A most beautiful climber, with delicate, 
dark-green, feather foliage, and an abundance of bright, 
star-shaped, rose, scarlet, and white blossoms, which in the 
bright sunshine present a mass of beauty. Planted by the 
side of veranda, tree, or stakes, and trained properly, there 
is nothing prettier. The seeds will germinate more freely if 
warm water be poured on the ground after planting. Ten- 
der annual ; fifteen feet high. 

Gourds. — A tribe of climbers with curiously-shaped fruit, 
in various colors. Being of rapid growth, they are fine to 
cover old fences, trellises, stumps, etc. The foliage is* quite 
ornamental, and the markings of some of the fruit quite ex- 
traordinary. Do not plant the seed till all danger of frost 
is over, and select rich, mellow ground. Tender annual 
climbers ; ten to twenty feet high. 



DESCRIPTION OF CLIMBERS. 315 

Ipomea. — Beautiful climbers, and exceedingly attractive 
mixed with other climbers. The flowers are of a variety of 
shapes and sizes, and of an endless number of colors, many 
being wondrously brilliant, and of graceful form. They are 
alike good for green-house, for pots and baskets, and for 
trellises, stumps, arbors, etc. They require heat in starting, 
and some of the varieties will not succeed out of the green- 
house. Tender annuals; five to ten feet high. 

Maurandya. — Graceful climber for green-house, parlor, 
baskets, or out-door purposes. Set out in the border with a 
little frame to which to attach their tendrils, they will be 
loaded all the season with rich purple, white, and rose, fox- 
glove-shaped blossoms. The seed should be started in hot- 
bed or green-house, as without artificial heat, they will 
scarcely flower the first season. They must be removed to 
a warm place on the approach of cold weather in autumn. 
Tender perennial climber ; six feet high. 

Smtlax. — No climbing plant in cultivation surpasses this* 
for the graceful beauty of its foliage. In cut flowers, and f of 
wreaths, etc., it is indispensable to florists. Its hard texture 
enables it to be kept several days after being cut, without 
wilting. Nothing is finer for clothing statuettes, vases, etc. 
Soak the seed in warm water twelve hours, and plant in 
pots, in hot-bed or green-house, in February, and keep in a 
warm, moist place. One plant in a two-inch pot is enough. 
After they have completed their growth and the foliage 
begin.*? to turn yellow, turn the pots on their sides and with- 
hold water till August, when the little bulb which has formed 
can be repotted in good, rich earth, and watered freely, and 
it will grow all winter. Tender perennial climber; ten 
feet high. 



316 OUB, HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

Annuals and Perennials. 

Aster. — No family of plants bears such distinct marks of 
progress as the aster, and none are more eagerly sought. 
An almost endless variety, always reliable, it is not strange 
that they should become a necessity. The kinds found in 
the flower garden are usually French or German, and when 
circumstances for their growth are favorable, present a con- 
stant varying succession of blossoms till frost comes. The 
taller varieties should be supported by stakes or trellises. 
The seed should be sown early in spring, and the young 
plants transplanted from one to two feet apart, according to 
the height and size. 

Begonia. — Ornamental foliage, green-house and stove 
plants, with many-colored, succulent leaves, oblique at their 
base. Very useful for ferneries, green-houses, and parlor 
decoration. Some of the varieties, in addition to their beau- 
tiful foliage, produce magnificent blossoms. They have 
been so much improved, and so many new flpwering sorts 
introduced, that we' almost fail to recognize the species. 
Some are propagated from seed only, others from cuttings. 
AU require a rich soil. 

Camellia.-^All species of camellias are universally ad- 
mired on account of their beautiful, rose-like flowers and 
elegant dark-green, shining, laural-likq leaves. They are 
hardy green-house shrubs of easy culture, requiring only to 
be protected from frost. The best soil for them is an equal 
quantity of good sandy loam and peat. They are propa- 
gated by inarching, cuttings, grafting, and from seed, the 
latter being the only method of obtaining new varieties. 
When the plants are not growing, they should receive but 



ANNUALS AND PERENNIALS. 317 

little water, and whea growing freely, can scarcely receive 
too much. A regular succession of flowers may be obtained 
from autumn till July, if attention be given to removing the 
potted and growing plants from a warm to a cooler atmos- 
phere. When the growth is completed, and the flower-buds 
formed, a cool, sheltered situation is best, for they will be 
seriously injured if exposed to the rays of the sun. 

Calceolaria. — -A favorite and universally-admired genus, 
remarkable for its large, beautifully spotted blossoms, 
which are very showy, and from which an almost countless 
number of hybrids have been raised. They are perennial, 
are grown in pots in the conservatory, green-house, and 
garden; but few flowers are held in greater esteem. They 
prefer a turfy loam, a mixture of peat and sand, or a rich, 
open garden mold, and are propagated from seed or cuttings. 
Some of them are herbaceous perennials, others shrubby 
evergreens. 

Carnation. — No flower can surpass in delicacy of 
marking, form, or delicious fragrance, the richly-hued car- 
nation. It has always been one of the most esteemed of 
the florist's collection, and there is no flower more desirable 
for the garden. The seed will not produce all double 
flowers, though a good percentage will be double, and of all 
shades and colors, ma-ny being very fragrant. Sow under 
glass In green-house or hot-bed, and when of sufficient size, 
transplant two feet apart each way. New and choice vari- 
eties are obtained from seed. Half-hardy perennial; one 
and a half feet high. 

Candytuft. — Universally known and cultivated, and 
considered indispensable for cutting. All the varieties look 
best in beds or masses. Seed sown in the autumn produces 



318 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

flowers early in spring; when sown in April, flower from 
July to September, and some of the sorts till frost comes. 
All the varieties are hardy, and easy to cultivate. Single 
plants transplanted look well, and bloom profusely. Hardy 
annual; one foot high. 

Chrysanthemum. — The following are the old garden 
varieties, producing flowers white, yellow, and variegated, 
single and double. They flower in autumn, and are desir- 
able where there are large collections, as they are brilliant 
and striking. The single sorts are quite as handsome as the 
double. Hardy annual ; one and a half to two feet high. 

Chrysanthemum, coronarium, double white. 

Chrysanthemum, coronarium, double yellow. 

Chrysanthemum, Burridganum, crimson, white center; 
single. 

Chrysanthemum, coronarium, mixed. 

Dahlia. — This exceedingly beautiful genus comprises an 
almost endless number of varieties, all more or less showy 
in the flower garden in autumn when most other flowers 
have faded. They are all of easy cultivation, growing 
freely in almost any soil, from seed sown in spring. The 
seed should be sown in shallow pans, in March, and the 
seedlings transplanted to small pots. As soon as danger of 
frost is over, plant out, one foot apart. These plants will 
make tubers, which should be taken up in the fall and 
kept through the winter in a cool, dry place, away from 
frost, and planted out in the spring, when they will blossom 
the following autumn. New varieties are constantly being 
produced from seed, some of them of exquisite beauty. 

Fuchsia. — Well-known, half-hardy, perennial, deciduous 
shrubs worthy a place in every garden. The varieties are 



ANNUALS AND PERENNIALS. 319 

now numbered by hundreds, and some are exceedingly 
beautiful. They are easily grown from seed, and as cut- 
tings; and from seed many improved varieties are obtained. 
Sow in March, in shallow pots ; prick out in crocks four inches 
in diameter, when of convenient size, where they can con- 
tinue to grow till they bloom. As soon as they have 
flowered, select such as have good points, and change into 
larger pots. When frost appears, protect the plants. 

Heliotrope. — Highly valued for the fragrance of tiieir 
flowers, and duration of bloom, and are to be met with in 
most gardens. They succeed in any rich, light soil, and 
cuttings of the shrubby kinds, taken ofl" while young, strike 
readily. Half-hardy perennial ; one foot high. 

Mignonette. — A well-known hardy annual, producing 
dense, semi-globular heads of exceedingly fragrant flowers, 
borne on spikes from three to six inches long. Is in bloom 
nearly the whole season, and the perfume is so fragrant that 
the whole atmosphere around is perfumed. No garden 
should be without it. If sown at intervals during the 
spring and early summer, it will be in bloom till killed by 
the frost. Seeds sown in autumn will bloom early in 
spring. Hardy annual; perennial if protected; one foot. 

Oleander. — This well-known shrub, originally a native 
of India, is of easy culture, and flowers freely the greater 
part of the year. In warm, moist climates, it requires no 
protection, and attains the proportions of a good-sized tree. 
The flowers have a salver-shaped corolla, with a crown of 
torn appendages in the center, and are of a beautiful shade 
of pinkish-red. They can be produced successfully in the 
house if the atmosphere is kept moist and warm. Sow 
seeds in gentle heat in February or March, in light, rich 



320 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

soil, which must be kept moist. When young plants are 
three or four inches high, repot in rich soil. The tempera- 
ture in which plants are grown should not fall below 35°, 
The young shoots made one season should bloom the next. 

Pansy. — These lovely flowers are favorites with all, not 
only for the brilliancy and variety of their colors^ but for 
the durability of their bloom. Seed may be sown in open 
ground in spring or summer, or in hot-bed early in spring. 
Young plants produce the largest and best flowers. The 
plants should always occupy a cool, partially shaded situa- 
tion, and the ground cannot be too rich; coolness and 
moisture are necessary. Transplant when an inch high. 
Seed sown in July will blossom late in autumn ; if sown in 
October, will bloom the following spring. Hardy biennial ; 
four inches high. 

Geranium. — Probably the geranium is better known 
and more universally admired than any other plant 
grown. The constant succession and durability of bloom 
till frost comes, the brilliancy of the scarlet and other 
colors, and the exquisite markings of the leaves of some of 
the varieties, render them very desirable for pot culture and 
bedding. No garden seems complete without a bed of them, 
and in every collection of conservatory or parlor plants we 
are sure to find the geranium. Propagation by seed is the 
only sure way to obtain superior varieties. Sow in March, 
in gentle heat, in well-drained pots. Water moderately, and 
as soon as the third leaf appears, pot singly in two-inch 
crocks, exchanging for larger ones as the plants require. 
As soon as the weather will permit, plunge the pots in open 
border, and on the approach of frost remove them to a shed.. 
They will blossom the succeeding spring. Propagation for 
common varieties can be made from cuttings. 



ANNUALS AND PEBENNIAL8. 321 

Ferns. — Flowerless plants, too well known to need de- 
scription. Many of the varieties are exquisitely beautiful. 
There are so many sorts, varying so widely in habit, that 
to give explicit directions for the culture of each would re- 
quire a volume of itself. As a general rule they should be 
kept in a warm, humid atmosphere, and watered abun- 
dantly. The soil best adapted to their growth is a turfy, 
fibrous peat, mixed with sand and leaf mold, and underlaid 
with pieces of broken crock. In places too shady for other 
plants to thrive, they grow in great beauty. Coming as 
they do from every clime, we find them a very interesting- 
study. They are alike good for baskets, vases, rock-work^ 
ornamental plants for parlor or conservatory, and the 
pressed leaves of some of the varieties are marvels of grace- 
ful beauty. Many of the most beautiful sorts are propa- 
gated from seed only. Their exceeding grace and beauty 
will well repay all care bestowed upon them. 

Phlox Drummondii. — Remarkable for the brilliancy 
and abundance of their large, terminal flowers, completely 
hiding the foliage. The blossoms are of many colors, from 
pure white to deepest purple, eyed and striped. For masses 
of separate colors and for cutting for bouquets, they are un- 
surpassed. The seed can be planted in open ground in au- 
tumn or spring, or plants may be started in hot-bed and 
transplanted. Give good, rich ground, and set plants six 
inches apart each way. Hardy annual ; one foot high. 

Snapdragon. — The snapdragon is an old favorite border 
plant, with dark and glossy leaves, and large, curiously- 
shaped flowers with finely marked throats. They have been 
much improved by careful selection, and now are really 
magnificent flowers. They will blossom the first season 

21 



322 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

from seed sown in spring, but the blossom will be much 
stronger the second season. Succeeds best in dry, loamy 
soil. Tender perennial ; two feet high. 

Violet. — The violet should not be wanting in any garden, 
on account of its fragrance and early appearance. A single 
flower will perfume a whole room. It is well adapted 
for border or rock- work, and commences putting forth its 
beautiful double and single blossoms in April and continues 
through May. Succeeds best in a shady, sheltered place, 
and can be easily increased by dividing the root. The 
violet is an emblem of faithfulness. Hardy perennial; four 
inches high. 

Zinnia. — A very showy plant, with large, double flow- 
ers, which, when fully expanded, form hemispherical heads, 
become densely imbricated, and might easily be mistaken 
for dwarf dahlias. The colors run through all the shades of 
carmine, lilac, scarlet, purple, crimson, yellow, to pure white. 
If any single blossoms appear, they should be at once pulled 
up. Sow the seed early in spring, in open ground, and 
transplant to one and a half feet apart, in good, rich soil. 
Half-hardy annual; one and a half feet high. 

Chinese Primrose. — These are perhaps the most desir- 
able of all house-blooming plants, and will richly compen- 
sate for the little care they require. They are in almost 
constant bloom all winter, and if the plants be transferred 
to the border, they will bloom nearly all summer. Though 
perennial, new plants flower more freely, and seed should 
be sown every year. Give them a long time for growth 
before flowering, and do not force the young plants, but 
simply protect them from frost, and damp, cutting winds. 
Sow the seed in shallow boxes, filled with good, rich soil. 



ANNUALS AND PUR:EN-NIALS. 323- 

dusting a little fine earth over them : if covered too deeply, 
or if the seed be wet and allowed to dry again, they wiU 
not germinate. Transplant into pots, and they will be 
ready for winter blooming in the drawing-room. Tender 
perennial; six to nine inches high. 

Roses. — The rose requires high culture; it should be 
planted in good, well-drained soil ; the ground can scarcely 
be made too rich. The pruning required will vary with the 
sorts planted, the rank-growing requiring less pruning than 
the weak ones. The points particularly to be observed ai'e to 
prune before the buds start in spring, to cut out all unripe 
or old and feeble shoots, and to cut back the last season's 
growth to from one-half to two-thirds its length, according 
to the vigor of the sorts. Winter protection of tender sorts 
is accomplished by covering after a few severe frosts, with 
leaves, straw, evergreen boughs, or earth, or by removing 
the plants to a cool cellar. With a little care of this kind, 
the choicast tender roses may be safely wintered, and as they 
are the only really perpetual roses, they are abundantly 
worth the extra care. The insects most commonly injurious 
to the rose — as the Aphis, which appear in great numbers 
upon the young, growing shoots, and the Thrips, which prey 
upon the under side of the leaf, giving it a sickly, yellowish 
look, — may easily be destroyed by syringing or dipping the 
plants in tobacco water. 

Petunia. — Petunias are unsurpassed, if indeed equaled, 
for massing in beds. Their richness of color, duration of 
bloom, and easy culture will always render them popular. 
They will do well sown in ©pen border in spring, or earlier 
in cold-frame or hot -bed, and transplanted eighteen inches 
apart. By the latter process, they will come into bloom 



324 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

much earlier, though they do perfectly well sown in open 
ground. Be careful not to cover the small seeds too deep; 
they like a sandy loam. Tender perennial ; one and a half 
feet high. 

Water-Lily. — Hardy, aquatic plant, bearing exceed- 
ingly beautiful, fragrant white blossoms, which appear as 
if floating on the water. They are very much admired, 
aivfl u,v^ constantly becoming more and more popular. Are 




Fig. 74. 

increased by sowing the seed, or by dividing the roots or 
tubei-s. They grow readily in ponds or streams of shallow 
water having muddy bottoms, and can be grown in aqua- 
riums, tubs or tanks, in the house, if there be sufficient mud 
at the bottom, and the seeds or roots be kept continually 
covered with water. 

Cultivation in Tubs. — For a tub, take a strong barrel, 
free from tar, oil, or salt, saw it in two, fill this one-third full 
with fine, black garden soil, or meadow mud if handy ; plant 
the seeds in this mixture, covering them one inch deep, add 



ANNUALS AND PERENNIALS. 325 

water gently so as not to disturb the seed, until the tub is 
full. This is all the care needed ; always keep the tub full 
of water. Set this on a brick or board platform in any 
place you desire. The tubs, with their contents, should be 
placed in a cellar during the winter, kept from frost, and 
not allowed to entirely dry up. 

For Aquariums. — Put in five inches of fine, black loam, 
cover the seed one inch deep in this, and sift on enough fine 
sand to entirely cover the loam. 

Ice-Plant. — A handsome and curious plant for hanging 
baskets, rock-work, vases, and edgings. The leaves and 
stems are succulent and fleshy, and appear as though covered 
with ice crystals, and look like rock candy. The whole 
plant is peculiarly brilliant in the sunshine. The flower is 
white, and not conspicuous. Succeeds best in dry, sandy 
loam, and in a warm situation. Can be grown in pots or 
open border, the former having preference. Tender annual 
trailer; six inches high. 

Balsam. — The Balsam or Lady's Slipper, is an old 
favorite, but has been so much improved by cultivation as 
to be scarcely recognized. The blossoms are double, though 
some semi-double and single ones will be pretty certain to 
appear, and such plants should be removed. The prevail- 
ing colors are red and white, the former running into all 
shades of crimson, scarlet, rose, and purple, spotted and 
striped. The flowers will be improved by planting in a 
hot-bed, and transplanting when two leaves have formed, 
one or two feet apart. Pinch off a portion of the shoots, 
which will increase the size of the flower and viG:or of the 
plant. Needs a rich soil, and good cultivation, well 
repaying for both with the abundance of its magnificent 
flowers. 



326 



OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 



Ageratum. — A valuable plant on account of the length 
of time it remains in bloom, and for contrasts of color with 
the more brilliant varieties. It blooms constantly all sum- 
mer in the garden, and if removed to the green-house, all 
winter. Desirable for cut flowers for bouquets. Grows 
one and a half feet high, and the plants should stand two 
feet apart. Colors light blue and pure white. Start the 
seeds under glass, and transplant. Hardy annual. 

Ahutilon. — Yery popular, perennial, green-house shrub, 
with bell-shaped, drooping flowers, which are borne in pro- 
fusion nearly the entire year. "Well adapted to house cul- 
ture, and desirable for bedding out in the summer. There 
are several varieties, the flowers of which vary from pure 
white and yellow to deep orange and crimson, streaked with 
yellow. Can be propagated by cuttings, in sand, under 
glass, during summer. If seeds are sown before April, 
under glass, the plant will bloom the first season. 




(^]^_^p»/jv;^^ JJf^ 



WINDOW GARDENING. — HOW TO HAVE FLOWERS ALL WINTER. 
—BEST VARIETIES FOR WINTER USE. — HOW TO CARE 
FOR THE FLOWERS. — THEIR ARRANGEMENT IN THE 
WINDOW. 



ojdio 



N addition to what has been said in the chapters 
on the culture of flowers, it is thought proper to 
add a few hints upon the subject of window 
gardening. 

There are but few plants that will not thnve 
in-doors under proper conditions of light and tem- 
perature. A window which admits much light 
by day should be selected, and as plants must 
have their periods of sleep, provision should be 
made for shutting off the bright glare of the lamp 
at night. A few plants, well cared for, look better 
than a window full of plants so closely crowded as to cause 
them to grow spindling and turn yellow. 

Regarding soil, the reader is referred to other chapters in 
this work; but it is well to state that the pots for window 
plants should be filled to the depth of one or more inches 
with charcoal, to assist in drainage and to keep the soil sweet. 

[327] 




328 



OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 



Care should be used in watering, as plants are easily 
" drowned out." If during a gentle, warm shower the plants 
can be so placed as to receive it, they will be all the better 
for it. They should generally be watered once a day with 
a watering-pot, — never poured on, — the water being about 




Fig. 75. 

the temperature of the room. The morning is, perhaps, the 
best time for watering, and it never should be done while 
the sun shines upon the plants. 

Plants that have flowered all the summer cannot be ex- 
pected to continue the process during the winter, as they 
must have a period of rest before they can mature. Those 



WINDOW GARDENING. 



329 



-which are -wanted for flowering in winter, must be started 
late in the summer from seeds or cuttings, or if started earlier 
they must be set away or laid down till autumn. The 
bulbous plants for winter use should be laid down in the 
shade in May, and given no water till September, when 
they may be repotted, and will become active in a few 
weeks. Cuttings for whiter may be potted in midsummer. 
Monthly roses, geraniums, fuchsias, heliotropes, callas, be- 




Fig. 76. 



gonias; and for climbers, the cypress- vine, nasturtium, and 
ivy, are the plants that require the least trouble and succeed 
best. 

For supporting the pots, a window box is the cheapest; 
it can be lined with zinc, and filled in around the pots with 
moss, if desirable. A strong wire stand, set on castors, is 



330 



OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 



very handy, as it can be moved around, and is moreover 
ornamental. 

The illustrations given in this department are intended 
to suggest the methods that may be employed in window 
gardening, and it is not deemed necessary to enter into a 
lengthy description of them. On page 329 is illustrated a 
bay-window. Below is given a good plan where the bay- 




Fig. 77, 

window is wanting, and drops a hint as to how an ivy may 
be concealed behind a mirror, with its graceful loops hang- 
ing down on each side, and a small portion just peeping into 
the glass. 

The cut on page 331 shows how the scroll-saw may be 
employed in window gardening. The lambrequin at the 
top is made of wood, decorated with the scroll-saw. 




t 



Fis. 78. 



332 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

We have seen shrubs employed with excellent results, in 
making a background for the more showy plants; and in 
one instance a species of maple, eight feet high, in full leaf 
in midwinter, was perhaps the most admired of the whole 
collection. 

Of course the arrangement of plants in a window or 
cabinet must depend in a great measure upon the taste of 
the possessor; but excellent effects can be produced almost 
anywhere with small-leafed ivy, madeira-vine, smilax, and 
other hardy climbers, set off by a few showy geraniums, 
and similar flowers. 

One of the principal reasons why flowers bought on the 
streets or at the markets prove so unsatisfactory, is because 
they are placed in small pots to save room, in the damp pits 
where they are grown, and when they come to be trans- 
ferred to the sitting-room, or balcony, the earth soon 
bakes, and the flower-buds fall off without opening. 

If the common flower-pots in which the plants are grow- 
ing be placed inside ornamental pots a few sizes larger, and 
the intermediate space be stuffed with wet moss, the closing 
up and fading can generally be prevented. A still better 
plan is to arrange a window box to receive the pots ; this should 
be from seven to ten inches deep, filled with earth or moss, 
and lined with zinc. 




CFEi^lP^RR 1^. 



PRESERVING NATURAL FLOWERS. — AN ART WORTH KNOW- 
ING. — HOW TO KEEP NATURAL FLOWERS FOR A LONG 
TIME. — PRESERVING BY THE SAND PROCESS. — THE SUL- 
PHUR PROCESS. — PRESERVING BRIDAL AND FUNERAL 
FLOWERS. — AN ELEGANT ART. — ARRANGEMENT OF FLOW- 
ERS. 

»o>»4oo— — 

HE art of preserving flowers in their natural 
state has long been known, but the process 
seems to have been forgotten until the increas- 
ing demand for bouquets brought it to the minds 
of the people of Germany. There are two ways 
of preserving flowers. The one used almost ex- 
clusively in Germany, and, we think, the easier 
method, is as follows: — 

The Sand Process. 

Procure a very fine quality of sand, wash it 
until all the particles of clay are dissolved, and dry it well 
by placing it on a board set slanting to allow the water to 
run off. Bake it thoroughly; and while it is warm, take 
an ounce of mutton tallow to twelve pounds of sand ; scrape 
the tallow and scatter it over the sand, stirring it in as it 
melts. Do not neglect this; for the tallow prevents the 

[333] 




S;34 OUE HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

sand from sticking to the flowers. Take a cigar-box or 
some other suitable box, and cut several holes through the bot- 
tom, over which paste paper to keep the sand from escaping. 
Sift sand into the bottom of the box until it is about half an 
inch deep, using a fine sieve. Upon this carefully place a 
layer of flowers, and sift in sand enough to cover them. 
Jar the box a little with the hand to settle the sand into and 
around the flowers. Put in more flowers, and cover them 
with sand as before, continuing the operation until the box 
is full. Place the cover in tight, and put the box in a place 
where it will bo kept at a steady temperature of about 80°. 
In about four days, if kept at the proper temperature, the 
flowers will be dry, and can be removed by puncturing the 
paper placed over the holes cut through the bottom of the 
box, and allowing the sand to run out. At first the flowers 
will be too brittle to be handled, and the box should be left 
in a damp place for a few hours, when the flowers will be 
ready for use. 

The Sulphur Process. 

The other process alluded to ls the preservation of flowers 
by the agency of sulphur fumes. Procure a box that can 
be made air-tight (one in which tea has been packed will 
do); then inside the box on opposite sides, near the top, 
fasten small strips of wood, and place rods across upon which 
to hang the bunches of flowei-s. For ventilation, bore a hole 
in one side near the bottom, into which fit a plug closely; 
arrange the flowers in loose clusters of from three ta ten, 
according to size, placing a variety of flowers in each cluster. 
Hang the bunches on the rods so that they will not touch 
one another, and in the bottom of the box place a metal pan 



PBESEBVING FLOWERS. 335 

containing a small shovelful of live coals. Spread out the 
coals, and sprinkle over them about three ounces of pulver- 
ized sulphur; then place the lid on securely, and the process 
is commenced. Open the hole in the side for a few minutes, 
until you see the fumes rising, but no flame ; then close the 
opening, throw a piece of heavy carpet over the box, and 
leave it for a day. Upon examination, the flowers will be 
found perfect in form, but bleached almost white. Expose 
them to the air in a dry place, and they will soon regain 
their color, but will be of a lighter shade than before 
bleaching. 

The box must be kept absolutely air-tight after the 
fumes begin to rise, and it is better to paste cloth over the 
edges and corners to make it certain that no air can pass 
through. Keep the box in a dry room. 

Preserving Bridal and Funeral Flowers. 

Every bride desires to keep the flowers she wore on her 
wedding day, and all desire to keep the wreath that lay on 
the breast of some dear departed one. The art of preserving 
these mementos has been kept secret, only a few professional 
florists knowing the process. It is simple enough, and we 
give it. 

The Paraffine Process. 

Let the flowers be fresh and firm, and the color light. 
Green leaves cannot be treated; hence must be left ofi". 
Take the finest quality of paraftine, and melt it by placing 
it in a cup set in boiling water. Keep the parafiine in a 
liquid state by means of the warm water, and dip the 
flowers into it, being careful that the parafline is not hot 
enough to cook them. Do the work as quickly as possible, 



336 QUE HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

so as tx) make a very thin coating on the flowers. To pre- 
serve green leaves, coat them with green wax, or add green 
powder paint to the paraffine. 

In preserving flowers, it should be observed that those 
with a thick, full corolla, such as tulips, lilies, etc., are not 
well adapted to this purpose. When the preserving process- 
is «ompleted, the flowers should be tastefully arranged, and 
placed where they will be free from dust. Glass globes or 
bell glasses are excellent, and if a few bleached ferns form 
the background, the effect will be pretty. 

In arranging flowers of any kind, be careful not to- 
place together those of tints which do not blend; as scarlets 
with pinks, blues with purples, etc. An intelligent under- 
standing of the harmony of colors will finable any one to- 
arrange a very few and very common flowers so as to pro- 
duce excellent effects. 

Ckystalizing Grass. 

Take one pound of alum and dissolve it in one quart of 
rain-water. Tie up bunches of feathery grasses, wild rye, 
oats, bearded wheat, etc., loosely, and suspend them over a 
tub. Heat the alum-water, and pour it over them very 
slowly until every cluster is thoroughly saturated. Leave 
the bunches to dry over night, when every point will sparkle 
with crystals. Should the process fail, add more alum, and 
the next application will succeed. These grasses make very- 
ornamental winter boquets. 



^^g^*^^ 













FOR THE 




[337] 



A bunch of sumach, shining bright. 

And a stag-horn, deck tbe waH, 
With a string of birds'-eggs, blue and white. 

Beneath. 

— AiiiCE Cart, ik The Settler's Christmas Etb. 



CImaf^trr 1. 



BRUSH AND PIGMENT. — PAINTING IN OIL AND WATER COLORS. 
— FULL INSTRUCTIONS FOR BOTH. — PANEL PAINTING. — • 
PAINTING PLAQUES AND VASES. — AN ELEGANT ART. — 
BEAUTIFYING THE HOME. — A NEW WARE FOR PAINTING. 
— OIL COLORS ON SILK, SATIN, AND PLUSH. — WATER COL- 
ORS. — BOWL PAINTING. 

F late years there has been a very great advance 
in the use of oil and water colors in interior dec- 
orations. Many ladies have turned their atten- 
tion to painting panels, screens, and plaques for 
adorning their own houses, and some have ac- 
complished most satisfactory results in painting 
on china. The following pages give the neces- 
sary instructions for the amateur who wishes to 
try her skill in this elegant art. 

The materials necessary are very few, render- 
ing the work less difficult than it seems, and at 
the same time less costly. A few camel's-hair brushes, — 
some fine, others coarse, — a tile, a plate, or a piece of window 
glass to mix the paints on, a small vessel to hold turpentine, 
and a few tubes of oil-colors, to be had at any paint store, 
aie the requisite materials. Some knowledge of drawing is 
necessary, so that the design to be painted may be outlined 

on the material with a pencil. Unless the person is skillful 

[339] 




34-0 OUB HOMES AND TREIE ADORNMENTS. 

in this, the outline should be drawn once or twice on paper 
before it is traced upon the material. 

No amateur should be ambitious to undertake difficult 
and elaborate designs at the outset. Let the advancement 
be easy. Take, for the first effort, a simple subject requir- 
ing only two or three tints. Flowers are best for beginners. 
Patience and continued practice will teach the pupil how to 
meet the difficulties in the use of brushes, colors, etc.. 

In handling the brush, avoid "dabbling," and accom- 
phsh as much as possible at a single stroke. It is hardly 
necessary to say that the tints are better if a brush is pro- 
vided for each color, but by careful cleaning the same brush 
m.ay be used for several colors. In oil-colors, it is a good 
plan to squeeze the paint from the tube on blotting paper, 
so that the surplus oil may be absorbed; otherwise there is 
a risk of staining. If the paint then becomes too dry, tur- 
pentine should be used to thin it, at the same time causing 
it to dry more quickly. 

PAifEL Painting. 

Panels of doors, or simply oblong wall-panels of well 
seasoned wood, are now painted in oil-colors. The oblong 
panels look well hung upon the wall, or Wit upon an easel, 
a shelf, a cabinet, or the mantel 

The materials are the ordinary tube oil-colors, camel's 
hair or sable brushes of several sisses, a bristle brush for 
backgrounds, and a hand rest. It should be remembered 
that panels are not picturf^s in the true senwi, but a part of 
a picture, of which the room itself is the whole. 

The background, if the wood is not Mt its natural color, 
should be soft mottled blue, gref^n, or gray, toned a little 
with warmer colors, a fleck of white here and there being 
very admissible. 



PANEL FAINTING. 341 

For Subjects, flowers painted in natural colors are most^ 
popular. Peach and apple blossoms, on drooping boughs, 
sprays of dogwood, or anything which suits the fancy, 
may be chosen. One author, who seems to appreciate the 
plant, recommends the hop-vine, and it really seems capable 
of excellent treatment, especially on door panels. Other sub- 
jects may be taken; as a sketch of a sailing vessel, supported 
by the branches of a piece of coral, the latter being painted 
a light pink; swallows skimming over a small lake; or a 
mischievous robin perched on a bough of ripe cherries. The 
beginner should attempt only the simplest subjects. 

Painting Plaques. 

The decoration of plaques and vases is a very elegant 
and popular employment for ladies, and is rapidly growing 
in favor. Two methods are used, one in which the plaques 
are painted and the painting is burned in, the other simply 
requires the painting without the burning. The same sug- 
gestions also apply to vases. 

Plaques for ordinary oil-colors are made of wood, paper 
mache, china, and porcelain, costing from fifteen cents for 
wood, to two or three dollars and even higher for porcelain, 
paper macM being the favorite. The paints and brushes 
are the same as are used for panel painting, except where 
the work is done on china, for "firing," when Lacroix's En- 
amel, or other mineral colors, must be used. 

The sizes most used are from twelve to sixteen inches in 
diameter. For a background the whole plaque may be 
painted in graduated tintc of sage green, blue, or brown; or 
it may be left the natural color, j ust as the design requu-es. 

'iliG Designs. — In the selection of designs, the field is very 
wide, and ranges from a single spray of apple blossoms to 



342 OUB HOMES AXD THEIB ADOF^'MEXTS. 

fi.TiTTna.ls . pDrtraiis. and landscapes. The picture shonld cover 
tbe pla.qiie. not »jli<ily. but the whole surface should be util- 
ized and the d^gn •vrell balanced. Sometimes a center-piece 
is painted, -vrith a tasty border. Veiy many persons "vrill be 
at a loss to make their own designs, and to such, the sug- 
gestions and designs furnished by the Art Amateur, a 
monthly Art Journal published in New York, will be of 
great nse. Others need but a slight hint from which to form 
a very good sketch, making the details to suit their fancy. 

A very attractive picture would be a few stalks of ripe 
■wheat, with a monse perched npon one of the stalks ; a faint 
attempt at a landscape, with grass and mushrooms in the 
backgronnd, and a pale moon in the distance. Paint the 
monse gray ; wheat, yellow : grass, green ; mushrooms, gray 
an top and stems, nnder surface striped with black ; and sky, 
blue. 

Another good design is a vase of gold fish, with a young 
chicken near, and a few stems of grass rising from behind 
the vase. Paint the globe a light gray, and shade with a 
dark gray; fish, capucinered shaded with the same; chicken, 
yeflow with shading of darker color of same ; plants, green. 
^p^ays of fiowers with birds are not only very easHy painted, 
but very popnlar. 

Imitation Baebatt!? oe Lamoges "Wark 

A new material for oil-colors has recently made its ap- 
pearance. It is clay modeled into the forms of vases and 
jars, upon the surface of which flowers are molded in full re- 
Kef. This ■ware is intended, whoi painted and varnished, 
to represent the celebrated "Barbatin''' or "Lamoges" ware. 
The ordinary tube colors are used, and the taste of the 
decorator wiH be taxed to its utmcBt in the selection and 
blaiding of colors. The vas^ should be given some warm 



IMITATION BAEBATIN WABE. 343 

color in lights and shades, or what would be called mottled, 
and the flowers should be painted natural colors. For the vase, 
a shaded deep green, blue, or brown, would be appropriate. 
The varnish, of course, should be white or nearly so, as 
otherwise the brilliancy of the colors would be marred. To 
those who have not means to own the burned wares, this 
commends itself, and it is destined to be very popular, imi- 
tating, as it does, the famous and costly French wares. The 
vases are sold at first-class art and picture stores. 

Silk, Satin, and Plush. 

These three materials are sometimes painted on for ban- 
ners, panels, and screens. The materials for use are the 
same as have been spoken of, with the addition of ox gall 
spread over the designs, on silk or satin, before the painting 
is begun. 

The highest general color is applied first, in painting 
these fabrics, and the strokes of the brush should be parallel 
to the rib of the silk, that is, not across the woof. Put in the 
deepest shades last. 

There is one difficulty in this work, and that is the 
spreading of the oil in the paint. To prevent this, squeeze 
out the tube colors upon blotting paper, and let it absorb the 
oil. If the oil should then spread, rub the wrong side of the 
goods with coke magnesia, to absorb it; and when absorbed, 
brush ofi" the powder. The material should be stretched upon 
a drawing-board by means of tacks, a,nd the outline drawn 
upon the goods with a lead pencil, or with blue or red stamp- 
ing paper. While engaged upon the design, protect the fab- 
ric from soiling as much as possible, with a sheet of paper. 
Plush is the richest of all materials for oil-colors. A stiff 
brush of bristle is necessiary to stamp in the colors. Mirrors 
with plush frames painted with sprays of flowers instead of 
embroidery are much admired. Designs on plush are out- 
lined with a brush and flake white. 



34« OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

Water Colors. — Buy only the very best, from responsi- 
ble dealers. Sometimes two or three coatings of color must 
be applied to satin and silk before the color takes on the 
proper tint. Chinese white is almost universally used in 
toning colors and putting in the lighter tints. Mix the white 
with the color to be toned, or apply it to the fabric, accord- 
ing to the object you wish to accomplish. 

Transfer oil pictures are now sold which can be applied 
to silk and satin by use of a hot iron. 

Fan Painting is another field for the artist. Silk, satin, 
paper, and vellum are the materials. The fans must be se- 
cured upon a board while being painted. The walls of 
rooms are frequently adorned with gaily colored Japanese 
fans, of various sizes. 

Bowl Pai/atvng. — "Wooden bowls, such as axe used for 
making bread, are perhaps the latest for painting in oil. The 
entire bowl is first painted some color, — blue or gray looks well, 
— and then on the inside is painted a design covering the 
bottom and extending up the sides. The subjects which seem 
most sought after are marine views, with scenes of sun-rises. 

•* At morning, flinging wide. 
Its curtain-clouds of purple and rermilion, 
Dispensing life and light on every side." 

The bowls, when completed, are hung rather high, with 
a downward incline, in the corners of the room, and look 
"Well nowhere else. In the painting, minute details are to be 
avoided, as the view will be seen at a distance only. These 
ornaments take the place of corner brackets. 

Decorating Flower Pots. — Plain, smooth, red-clay flower 
pots are capable of some decoration worth mentioning ; and 
as they occupy such prominent places in the house, it is not 
strange that they should receive some attention from the 
decorator. Oil or water colors will serve the purpose. Lay 
broad bands of dull blue around the top and bottom, cover- 
ing the intervening space with black. Now if you do not 
have transfer pictures, paste scrap chromos on the black band. 
Do not observe too much order in pasting them on, but ar- 
range them in a most disorderly manner. The effect is ex- 
cellent, and the experiment worth trying. 



(2^^j^p,/jv;^]^ ff^ 



CRYSTAL AMBHOTYPES, OR PHOTO-ENAMEL. — HOW TO PAINT 
PHOTOGRAPHS. — EXPLICIT DIRECTIONS FOR THE PAINT- 
ING. — MATERIALS AND THEIR USE. — DECALCOMANIA, 
OR THE ART OF TRANSFERRING PICTURES. — TRANS- 
FERRING PICTURES TO. WOOD, STONE, GLASS, SILK, 
SATIN, ETC. — EASY AND INEXPENSIVE WAYS OF DEC- 
ORATING. 

OUBTLESS many have admired the hand- 
somely colored photographs exhibited through- 
out the country by agents who claim to know 
the secret of the art, and the method of teaching 
it. The fact is, it is no secret, the process being 
an old one, and very simple. 

Materials Necessary for the Work. 

The best of tube paints in flake white, orange- 
yellow, Indian red, Vermillion, chrome-green, 
rose-madder, terre-verte, ivory black, Prussian 
blue, and vandyke brown, a convex glass in size to suit, 
an ounce of castor-oil and balsam of fir in equal parts, an 
ounce vial of castor-oil, adhesive paper, good mucilage, and 
camel's hair brushes in three sizes. None of these are diffi- 
cult to procure, except the convex glass. That can be ob- 
tained from any first-class picture dealer. [345] 




346 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADOBNMENTa. 

The Process. 

Let your photograph He in rain-water for ten or twelve 
hours; it can then be taken from the card with ease. Use 
a blotter to dry it. Clean the glass thoroughly. Cover 
the face of the photograph with mucilage, using a soft linen 
cloth, and at once place the face side next to the under side 
of the convex glass. Place soft paper over it, and work 
out all air and moisture, beginning at the center. "When 
perfectly smooth, lay the picture aside for an hour, after 
which wet the entire surface with the mixture of castor-oil 
and balsam of fir, and place in the sun. In about eight 
hours the picture will become perfectly transparent. After 
it has become perfectly transparent, wipe off the picture 
with castor-oil and a linen cloth to free it from the sticki- 
ness caused by the balsam of fir. The picture is now ready 
for the paint. 

How TO Paint the Picture. 

Take a fine brush and the least possible amount of flake 
white, and touch the white spots in the eyes. Next outline 
the face, ear, nose, and mouth with a slight line of white. 
If the eyes you wish to paint are blue, use Vandyke brown 
for the pupils, and Prussian blue mixed with a little white 
for the rest of the eye, using white for the corners. If the 
eye is brown, paint the pupil black, and the rest of the eye 
brown. The comers are painted with white and yellow 
mixed for dark eyes. For a blonde, paint the lips with 
white and rose-madder ; for a brunette, use white and Ver- 
million. For the center of the ear, use a fine paint of Ver- 
million ; for the rest of the ear, white, with a slight touch of 
rose-madder. Paint the cheeks and chin of a blonde with a 



TRANSFERRIXG PICTURES, Z47 

mixture of rose-madder, white, and a little touch of yellow. 
For a brunette use Vermillion instead of rose-madder. This 
mixture gives the Hesh tint. Use the flesh tint beneath the 
brows and around the eyes. Add a little white to this, and 
paint aivund the edges of the hair, incroasing the amoiuit of 
white as you near the eyebrows. Use flesh tint for the 
neok. For blondes, use a baokgivund made of Prussian 
blue, rose-madder, and white; and for brunettes use whit<?, 
rose-madder, and t<^rre-vert^, well mixed. For jewelry, use 
oi-ange yellow mixed with a Uttle whit^. For hair slightly 
gray, use ivory black and pure whitt^ mixed. For auburn 
hair, mix white, yellow ochro, and vandyke bi\iwn. 

These pictuivs will i-emain in good condition for some 
time, but after a few years will become opaque. Good ma- 
terials are absolutely necessary. This work requires much 
patient eflbrt. When the painting is all done, place the 
picture in an oval frame, such as are foimd at the picture 
stores. 

Decalcomania, or the Art of Transferring Pictures. 

There is no more ready process for decorating panels^ 
vases, flower stands, the Kxls of vehicles, and, in fact, any- 
thing upon which a picture can be placed with sHght cost» 
than the art of decalcomania. 

The Materials. 

The pictuivs for transferring aro for sale in picture, 
paint, and varnish stoivs at very trifling cost. The other 
materials aro, a small quantity of balsam of fir, or some 
good white varnish which will dry quickly, a small sponge, 
and a brush for applying the varnish. 



348 OUR HOMES AND THEIB ADOBNMffNTS. 

How TO Transfer the Picture. 

A little practice is required to make a neat transfer. 
Clean the object to which the picture is to be applied, and 
take gre^t care to leave it dry and perfectly free from any 
oily substance. Apply a thin, even coating of either var- 
nish or balsam of fir to the face of the picture, and press the 
picture to the surface to which it is to be transferred. Be 
careful that the picture is never moved after it is once ap- 
plied. Smooth it down very evenly, working out every 
blister and air-hole. The next step is to remove the paper, 
which will then reveal the picture firmly stuck to the sur- 
face intended. The process of removing the paper is 
very simple, but skill is required. With the sponge, 
moisten the paper, gradually but thoroughly. This should 
be done before the varnish is quite dry. When the paper 
has been sufficiently moistened, it should be neatly peeled 
off, beginning at a corner, when, if the foregoing instruc- 
tions have been faithfully observed, the picture will be re- 
vealed firmly sticking where desired. Sometimes a portion 
©f the picture will come ofi" with the paper ; this results from 
one of three causes, — either the varnish was not evenly 
spread, or it had not dried enough to hold the picture, or 
the paper had not been sufficiently moistened. The remedy 
is apparent. 

Among the late uses to which this method has been put 
is the transferring of pictures to silk and satin, in place of 
painting, and it may not be amiss to state that when they 
are transferred, the pictures very much resemble oil paint- 
ings. There is no reason why these pictures could not be 
transferred to any plaque or vase, making really beautiful 
ornaments. If the pictures are not attainable at local stores, 
they can be obtained in the larger cities. 



(3^^j^p»Apv;^^ J^J^ 



SOMETHING NOVEL IN EMBROIDERY. — FISH SCALES. — HOW" 
TO MAKE BAGS AND SACHETS. — COVER FOR A BABT'» 
CRIB.— OVAL FRAMES FOR PHOTOGRAPHS. — BASKETS, — 
A KITCHEN TABLE TRANSFORMED INTO A LIBRARY 
TABLE. — HOW TO MAKE RUGS. — SHEEPSKIN RUGS, 



oJOio 



ISH SCALE EMBROIDERY.— It remained for 

some ingenious admirer of the denizens of the 
deep to invent some plan by which the scales. 
of fishes might be utilized for decorative pur- 
poses. The scales of any fish will answer, but 
those of perch are preferred on account of the 
variation of colors^ but usually a variety of 
scales is needed. After being removed from 
the fish, the scales must be cleaned, and while 
moist two holes punched near the roots with a 
small awl or darning needle, or short incisions 
may be made on the opposite sides, for fastening 
them on the design, after which they should be 
placed between the folds of some paper to dry. 
Silk or satin will answer for a ground upon which to set 
the design, but velvet is also appropriate. Dark colors are 
best. To fasten the scales, use fine silver ware, or light- 
colored silk will answer. To get a good design, it should 
first be drawn on paper, and the outlines pricked through 
with a pin, after which the pattern should be placed on the 
material, and powdered whiting rubbed through the pin 

^ [349] 




S50 



OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 



Jioles. This will give the outline upon the material, but as 
it will soon brush off, go over it with ordinary water colors. 
Beads may be used to make the stems of the design, and 
the flowers and leaves worked with scales. If several tints 
are desired, the scales may be varnished with bright colors 
before they are sewed on. 

A Design for Fish Scale Embroidery. — Our illustra- 
tion gives a very pretty design. The ground is of maroon- 
colored silk. Work the stem in old-gold silk twist. The 
leaves and roses are made of scales. In making the leaves, 

the silver wire must ^ be carried across the 

scales to represent ,.^g^^^^ ^ ^^^^^*^ _ the veins. And 



to make the ro 
outer circle of 
sewing thro' 
next circle 
stitches, and 
next, until 
is reached, 
b e finished 
beads, or, if 
small, one will 
bird is worked 
eyes are each 
the beak, legs, and 
the same as the stems 




ses, sew on the 

scales first, 

the holes; the 

laps over the 

so with the 

the center 

which may 

with a few 

the flower be 

answer. The 

as follows: The 

ngle black bead 

claws are worked 



For the winsfs, the scales are sewed on 
with silver wire carried across, the different sizes and colors 
of scales making up the entire bird. For pointed ends of 
wings the scales may be clipped to a point with the scissors. 
A necklace and cross of scales worked on black velvet 
make a very pretty ornament for an evening toilet. 

Bags, Sachets, etc. — Reticules and bags are now very 
popular, and any lady having a desire to possess one may 
make it without great expense. Satin is the favorite, but 
plush and other materials are quite as appropriate. 

They should be made with draw-strings of satin, and 
should be embroidered or painted in some appropriate de- 
sign. Peacock's feathers, violets, pansies, dog- wood, and 
primroses are favorite subjects. The inside should be lined 



PATTUBNS FOB FRAMES AND BASKETS. 351 

with some stiff material. The handle may be made of 
twisted silk cord. 

Cover for a Baby's Crib. — There was recently shown at 
the rooms of the Society of Decorative Art in New York, a 
crib cover which attracted great attention. The material 
was worked with silk, on white linen, the design, in outline, 
being several sleepy birds perched upon a branch, with a 
motto underneath, — 

" Little babes which sleep all night, 
Laugh in the face of sorrow ; 
Little birds which sleep all night 
Sing carols on the morrow." 

By way of suggestion, it might be added that the design 
might be worked on some semi-transparent goods with a 
bright lining underneath. 

Oval Picture Frames. — Very handsome frames for card 
and cabinet photographs and other small pictures, may be 
made in the following manner: Take a piece of pine board 
one-fourth of an inch thick, the size you wish your frame 
to be, and with a saw cut out an oval opening in the cen- 
ter, large enough to suit the picture. Cover the board with 
velvet, plush, or silk, cutting out the center and turning the 
edges of the plush around the edges of the board, and also at 
the oval opening. Fasten the picture over the opening with 
strips of paper pasted across, and then cover the entire back 
with some colored paper. The frame may have narrow bands 
of ribbon or other colored material running diagonally from 
the edge to the oval ; or sprays of flowers may be painted 
or embroidered across one corner, just touching the oval. 
Square frames may also be made in a similar manner. 

Imitation Coral Hanging Baskets. — Take old hoops 
with the covering on; bend and tie in any shape desired; 
tie with wrapping-twine, with ends of the twine left one- 
fourth of an inch long; cover the basket when formed with 
knots or ties about one inch apart all over the basket. 
Then take one-half pound of bees-wax, melt in a shallow 
pan, stir in enough Japanese Vermillion to get the color you 



352 OUR HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

wish, then roll the basket in the melted wax until it is 
completely covered. The resemblance to red coral is very 
true, and the basket is admired by every one. We have 
seen one made in this way, that has hung exposed to the 
weather for two years, and is still as good as new. 

Baskets for Waste Paper, etc. — Take two tapering bas- 
kets, such as peaches are shipped in, and fasten them to- 
gether, bottom to bo^ i, making an hour-glass shape. 
Line the inside of each oasket, but use different colors, say 
one pink, the other blue ; cambric will answer for the lining. 
For a cover, select whatever material may suit the fancy, 
and work some designs in outline upon it ; fasten this cover 
to the basket from top to bottom, and draw in the middle 
with a ribbon. By selecting baskets of a proper size, they 
may be made serviceable for office use. 

It will be observed th^t this makes, in reality, two bas- 
kets, or rather a reversible basket. 

An Elegant Table. — An ordinary kitchen table can, 
with little trouble, be transformed into quite an elegant 
piece of furniture for the library. The top and legs are 
smoothly covered with green cloth; the seam on the legs to 
be neatly sewed, and the joining made on the inside of the 
leg that it may not show. It is then tacked at the top to 
hold it in place. The cloth is drawn smoothly over the 
top, and tacked all around the sides. The head-piece ex- 
tending around the sides of the table must also be covered. 
An under-shelf is made of pine wood covered with cloth, 
and fitted securely to the legs about eight inches below the 
top. A heavy cord fringe of green worsted must be 
fastened around the edge of the top, also around the shelf, 
with brass-headed nails about an inch and a half apart. A 
castor fitted into each leg will finish a very handsome table 
for the parlor or library. 

How TO Make Rugs. 

Filled Rugs. — Here is a plan for making very handsome 
and serviceable rugs at little expense. The foundation is 
some strong but open cloth; as crash, drugget, or coffee 




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HOW TO MAKE BUGS. 353 

sacks. The foundation should be stretched upon a frame, 
and some pretty design sketched upon it; the sketch should 
then be filled in with silk, cotton, or woolen rags of tasty 
colors. Silk rags look best, of course, but worsted may be 
used with excellent effect. If the design is a good one, the 
rug will be quite satisfactory. The rags should be drawn 
through with a large crochet needle, and the ends cut every 
stitch ; and when the work is complete, all the ends should 
be sheared off to an even length. It is hardly necessary to 
add that the foundation should be entirely concealed by the' 
filling, and the wrong side lined with some coarse material. 
A fringe all around would add to the effect. 

Rugs of Sheepskin. — Here is a field for ladies who will 
take the pains to follow our suggestion, to make many 
pretty and useful articles. Wool is easily colored, either 
on the skin or in fabrics. Sheepskin with the wool on can 
be quite easily tanned. Boil the skin a short time in strong 
soap suds to which has been added some sal-soda, and soak 
it for twelve hours in half a pound each of salt and alum 
with enough water to cover the skin; this process com- 
pletes the tanning. To dress it, procure a large board, to 
which tack the skin, flesh side out, and before it is dry 
sprinkle it with a powder of equal parts of alum and salt- 
petre. Leave it to dry for thirty hours, and then rub it 
thoroughly with pumice stone, to make it soft and pliable. 
To make a rug of the skin, the ends of the wool should be 
colored to suit the fancy, with aniline o*" other dyes, after 
which it should be trimmed and lined. 

Carriage Pugs. — Very attractive carriage rugs are 
made by bordering some bright cloth with strips of the 
skin, colored to match, or to harmonize with the center of 
the rug. 

To Conceal Flower-Pots. 

The ordinary Japanese fan has found still another use; 
viz., to conceal the unsightly sides of common flower-pots. 
Remove the rivet which holds the fan together, and in its 
place insert a wire long enough to reach around the pot.^ 



354 OUB HOMES AND TUEIB ADORNMENTS. 

Fasten the fan around the base by means of the wire, 
spreading out the ribs of the fan so that they extend entirely 
around, and complete the work by fastening the extreme 
edges of the fan at the top. 

Simple as it is, this transforms an unsightly receptacle for 
flowers into one more in harmony with its surroundings. 

Pretty Lamp-Shades. 

The pa-etty lamp-shades for sale in the stores, can be 
made at home just as well, and with much less expense. 
Procure a sheet of tissue-paper of the desired color, and cut 
it li perfect square. Fold two opposite edges, creasing it 
through the middle; fold again the other way, thus making 
a smaller square of four thicknesses. Next fold this square 
so as to form a triangle, and then this triangle into a smaller 
one, letting the folds point to the center, until you can fold 
the paper no more. Now taking hold of the center with 
one hand, shake out the folds, and gently smooth it down, 
forming many creases. Cut out the center large enough to 
shp over the globe, and the shade is complete, unless you 
wish to fringe the edges. Cardinal, pink, violet, or light 
blue are the best colors to choose. 



d^^^^^^ JA^, 



ENCAUSTIC TILES. — THEIR DURABILITY. — HOW TO USE THEM. 
— PAVING HEARTHS. — COST. — MANTELS. — HOW TO GET 
THEM.— CABINETS. — HOME DECORATION OF TILES. 




!>>«0 



O other like material presents better opportunities 
for gratifying the desire to embellish and beau- 
tify our homes, than the use of Encaustic Tiles. 
They are made of powdered clay from which 
all foreign substances have been removed ; usu- 
ally they are in squares varying from one to 
eight inches; some styles are oblong, others tri- 
angular. 

Clay can be colored all tints; and the same 
block, by means of stamps and presses, may have 
a perfect and pleasing figure of two or more 
colors. "When properly pressed and burnt, these tiles are very 
serviceable, and when the additional work of glazing is put 
on, they are well-nigh as durable as stone for the purposes 
intended. 

"Whether required for the floors or walls of vestibulas, or 
the ornamentation of hearths and mantels, as well as for 
other purposes of decoration, their endless variety, their 

[355] 



356 OVB HOMES AND THEIR AJJOIC^SMENTS. 

various shades and colors, combine in forming a material 
suited to purposes of ornament, and as durable as beautiful. 

Heaeths and Pavements. 

A hearth or hall can be paved with tiles at a very rea- 
sonable cost, (about fifty cents per square foot,) and when 
once done, the whole always presents a neat and coscy ap- 
pearance, and is easily cleaned. 

The patterns can usually be selected from catalogues 
furnished by dealers and manufacturers. 

It is becoming popular to lay whole floors in tiles, and as 
people become better acquainted with this material, its use 
wiU supersede wood in many cases where durability and 
beauty are desired. 

The tile floor or hearth is laid in mortar, and presents a 
perfectly smooth surface, the joints fitting closely, and the 
whole contrasting finely with carpets and furniture. 

Mantels, Cabinets, etc. 

The panels at sides and top of mantels are frequently 
ornamented with tiles. A very attractive mantel of ebon- 
ized or other wood can be decorated in this way, and the 
whole cost is much less than for the cold and costly slate or 
marble mantel. The tiles are set in the panels, something 
after the fashion of a picture in a frame. These are more 
costly than floor tilings, as they are ornamented with all 
kinds of designs, comprising such subjects as birds, flowers, 
foliage, designs from history, Shakespeare, and the Script- 
ures. 

Panels of Cabinets, door-facings, and furniture may be 
ornamented in the same way, and where the designs consist 



MANTELS AND CABINETS. 357 

of geometric figures, which for the door-facings are appro- 
priate, the cost is low. Small tiles may be set into any fur- 
niture desirable, by cutting away the wood to the desired 
size, and inserting the tile with plaster or putty. As the 
field of home decoration is comparatively broad, the good 
taste of the proprietor is about the only guide as to the ex- 
tent and scope of the work. 

Such tiles can be procured six to eight inches square, at 
a cost of from $1.80 to $5.00 per dozen. Persons of decor- 
ative talent can buy the plain tiles and decorate them to 
suit their fancy, retui-ning them to the factory to have the 
designs burned in; 'this practice has of late become very 
popular. 

It is advisable to consult catalogues of designs and prices 
from some reliable dealer or manufacturer, before attempt- 
ing to do very much in this style of decoration, yet there is 
no doubt that in a few years examples may be found 
in almost every home. 



mEUSTl-WALTOI. 



Lincrusta- Walton is the name of a new material for 
wall and ceiling decorations, recently introduced from 
Bbgland. It is intended to supply the place of wall-paper, 
fresco, or plaster, and at the same time to give the effect 
of elegant carvings, at moderate cost. This material has 
been quite extensively used in Europe, and has met all the 
requirements of a perfect wall covering. It is composed of 
vegetable fiber and oils to make it plastic, and while in this 
state it is .stamped in many chaste patterns. By means of 
stamps, colors, bronze, and gold, it can be made to imitate 
carved wood, metals, or any other materials intended for 
walls or ceilings. 

It is not affected by variations of heat or cold, and may 
be washed thoroughly without injury. It is not damaged 
by the action of water, as samples have been exposed on the 
outside of buildmgs and immersed in water for one year 
with no evil effects. 

It would be difficult to produce a material which im- 
parts richer effects, and lends an. air of more refinement to a 
room. 

Angles and joints offer no opposition to its appli- 
cation, as it is so fiexible that it may be fitted to any 
surface by the use of paste, just the same as wall-paper is 
applied. [3583 



LIJfCBUSTA-WALTON. 



359 



Its cost is about that of the finer qualities of wall-paper, 
but its durability and elegance recommend it, and it is much 
more economical in the long run. A manufactory has re- 
cently been established in Connecticut, and its general use 
in all the better class of buildings seems but a question of 
time. 

This material is controlled by the Lincruata- Walton 
Company, 41 Union Square, N. Y., and all leading dealers 
in wall decorations keep it in stock. 

The accompanying illustration gives a very clear idea of 
the material, except that it is impossible to reproduce the 
rich effects of the blending of colors upon the objects in 
relief. 




CxMi^Fa^RR 'V. 



DYEING AND BLEACHING. 

DTEESTG COTTON. — HOW TO TREAT THE FABRICS. — DIREC- 
TIONS FOR ALL LEADING COLORS. — DYEING WOOLENS 
ANILINE COLORS. — COLORING STRAW HATS. — HOW TO 
MAKE MORDANTS. 




o>»So 



VERY frugal housewife has frequent occasion to 
resort to Dyeing to restore faded but slightly 
worn garments and other articles of dress to 
the original or some other color, as well as to 
color yarns. But she has not always at hand 
the proper directions for making the dyes, and 
so many times the professional dyer is given the 
work. 

In the following pages are such direction 
and recipes as will be found of great value in 
preparing the garments for and giving them the 
desired color. It will be observed that separate directions 
are given for Cotton and Wool as it frequently happens 
that the bath intended for woolens will not color cotton the 
desired shade. 

This department contains a list of reliable and trust- 

[360] 



DYEING COTTON. 361 

worthy recipes for all colors that can be made without the 
aid of an experienced dyer. The proportions are generally 
in such quantities as are needed most. In the fixation of 
color upon cloth, recourse is often had to a mordant, which 
acts as a middle agent and attaches the color to the cloth. 

The principal mordants are alum, cream of tartar, and 
salts of tin. Previous to the application of any color, the 
cloth or yarn must be well cleansed from grease, oil, etc., by 
scouring in soda or soap; and except where the material is 
to be dyed of dark color, the goods are also subjected to the 
process of bleaching. In case of fabrics which require a 
smooth surface, the preliminary operation of singeing ofi" the 
loose hairs is resorted to. 

Note. — ^Many of the within Dyeing recipes are taken from the Peoples' 
Cyclopedia, a work which is pronounced by the best critics superior to 
any other Cyclopedia ever published. 

Dyeing Cotton. 

The following recipes for dyeing cotton apply to 10 
pounds weight of cotton yarn or cloth, which is found to be 
the smallest quantity capable of being well dyed at one time. 
The proportions of each ingredient may be albered, however, 
so as to correspond with the quantity to be operated upon. 

1. Common Black. — Take 3 lbs. sumac, and treat with 
hot water, steeping the goods in the hot decoction for some 
hours; wring out, wash for 10 minutes in^ lime-water, and 
for 30 minutes in a solution of 2 lbs. copperas. 

Wash the goods well in cold water, sometimes repeating 
the treatment with lime, and rewashing; then work the 
goods for 30 minutes in a warm solution of 3 lbs. of log- 
wood, and afterward with 2 oz, copperas; work again for 
10 minutes; wash and dry. 



362 OUJR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

2. Jet Black, — Proceed as at 1, adding 1 lb. of fustic 
with the logwood ; and when 3 pts. of iron liquor are used 
instead of the 2 oz. copperas, a more brilliant black is 
obtained. 

3. Blue Black. — ^XJse indigo blue vat, then proceed as 
atl. 

4. Brown. — Treat the goods with a yellow dye, then 
work for 30 minutes in a decoction of 2 lbs. lima wood, 
and 8 oz. logwood; lift and work with 2 oz. alum for 15 
minutes, then wash and dry. 

5. Catechw Brown. — Immerse the goods at a boiling 
temperature in a decoction of catechu; then work for 
SO minutes in a hot solution of 6 oz. bichromate of pot- 
ash. Wash in hot water. If the latter contains a little 
soap, the color will be improved. 

6. French Brown. — Dye the goods with'a spirit yellow, 
then treat for half an hour with a solution of 3 lbs. of log- 
wood; raise with a little red liquor, work for 10 minutes, 
wash and dry. 

7. Med. — Make a hot solution of 3 lbs. of sumac, intro- 
duce the goods, and let them stand till the liquor is cold; 
then wring out and work in water containing in each gallon 
a gill of red spirits (prepared by adding 2 oz. feathered 
tin by degrees to a mixture of 3 parts hydrochloric acid, 
1 part of nitric acid, and 1 of water), in the cold, for 
30 minutes, wring and wash well; then work the goods 
for 30 minutes in a lukewarm decoction of 3 lbs. of 
lima wood and 1 lb. of fustic, add a gill of red spirits, 
work the goods longer, wash and dry. The famous Turkey- 
red is imparted to the cloth by first impregnating it with an 
oily or fatty substance, and then subjecting it to a decoc- 
tion of madder. 



DYEING COTTON. 363 

8. Yellow or Straw. — Work the goods in a weak solu- 
tion of acetate of lead ; ^en wring out, and work in a dilute 
solution of bichromate of potash ; wring out, and work again 
in the lead solution; wash and dry. 

9. Leghorn Yellow. — Proceed as at 8, but add a little 
annotto liquor with the solution of bichromate of potash. 

10. Spirit Yellow. — Work the goods through a weak 
solution of protochloride of tin for 30 minutes, then work in 
a solution of quercitron bark for 15 minutes. Lift out, and 
work again in tin solution, and wash in cold water. 

11. Orange. — Proceed S>, at 8, and afterward pass 
through lime-water at the boiling point, finally washing in 
cold water. 

12. Blue. — The goods are worked in various strengths 
of solution of salts of iron, such as nitrate of iron; wring 
out, wash in water, and then work in solution of yellow 
prussiate of potash ; wring out and wash in water, and then 
work in solution of yellow prussiate of alum. The various 
shades of blue may be obtained by using stronger or weaker 
solutions. 

13. Green. — Dye the cloth blue, then work in red liquor 
(acetate of alumina), wash in water, work in decoction of 
fustic or bark, raise with solution of alum; wash in cold 
water and dry. The darker shades of green, as olive or 
bottle green, are brought out by the use of sumac and log- 
wood, along with the fustic. 

14. Lilac. — Work the cloth or yarn with spirits, (see 7), 
then in logwood solution at a temperature of 140° Fahr- 
enheit, adding a little red spirits, red liquor, or alum, wash 
and dry; or dye the cloth blue (12), then work in solution 
of logwood, add alum, wash and dry. 



364 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

15. Purple. — Soak the goods in a warm decoction of 
sumac till cold, work for an hour in red spirits, wash, work 
in hot solution of logwood, then add a little red spirits, and 
work again, wash and dry. The various shades of purple 
may be obtained by altering the strength of the chemicals; 
the more sumac, the browner the hue; and the more log- 
wood, the bluer the purple becomes. 

16. Lavender or Peach. — Work the goods for 20 min- 
Tites in spirit plumb (a strong solution of logwood treated 
with about one-sixth of its volume of a solution of tin; made 
by dissolving tin in 6 or 7 parts of hydrochloric acid, 1 part 
of nitric acid, and 1 of water), wring out and wash weU in 
cold water. 

17. Drab. — Work the goods in a decoction of sumac, 
lift, add copperas, rework, wash in water, then work in a 
mixed decoction of fustic, lima wood, and logwood, raise 
with a little alum, wash and dry. Catechu is occasionally 
employed. 

Woolen Dyeing. 

A pound of wool woven into common merino measures 
about 3 yards, common moreen about 2 yards. 

1. Jet Black. — For 50 lbs. Prepare with 2^ lbs. chrome, 
boil half an hour, and wash in two waters. Dye with 20 
lbs. logwood and 2 lbs. fustic. Boil half an hour, in one 
water, then rinse in a slight sour, moderately warm, wash in 
one cold water, and finish out of a warm one, so^'tened with 
a httle urine. 

2. Fast Black. — For 50 lbs. Prepare with 2 lbs. chrome, 
1 lb. tartar, and 1 quart muriate of tin; boil 1 hour and 
wash in 2 waters. Dye with 25 lbs. logwood and 3 lbs. 



DYEING WOOLEN. 365 

fustic. Boil 30 minutes, lift, add 1 pt, vitriol. Return for 
10 minutes, then wash and dry. To render this blue-black, 
omit the fustic. 

3. French Brown. — For 50 lbs. Preparation: 1| lbs. 
chrome. Dyeing, 6 lbs. cudbear, 1 lb. tartar; and if not- 
dark enough, add 8 oz. logwood. Boil half an hour. 

4. Claret. — For 50 lbs. Preparation: 1| lbs. chrome. 
Dyeing, 9 lbs. lima wood, 2 lbs. logwood, | lb. tartar. Boil 
half an hour. 

5. Purple. — ^For 50 lbs. Wash in a preparation of IJ 
lbs. tartar, and 1 lb. alum; wash in 3 waters. Dye with 
10 lbs. logwood, boil half an hour, raise with 1 quart muri- 
ate of tin. 

6. Pale Blue. — For 50 lbs. 1 gUl sulphuric acid, 3 oz. 
extract of indigo, 1 lb. alum. Enter cold with one-half of 
the extract, give the other half when the boiler warms. 

7. Pea Green. — For 54 lbs. 2 lbs. extract of indigo, 7 
lbs. fustic, 1 lb. alum. Bring on from the cold, when the 
boiler heats to 180° Fahrenheit, put in the fustic, boil 15 
minutes. 

8. Olive Green. — For 50 lbs. Prepare with 1| lbs. chrome; 
boil half an hour, and wash in 2 waters; then boil 12 lbs. 
fustic and 2| lbs. logwood for 1 hour; add 2 lbs. madder 
and 2 lbs. redwood. Enter; boil half an hour. Raise in 
the same liquor with 4 oz. blue-stone; wash well and dry. 

9. Drab. — For 50 lbs. 7 lbs. fustic, 8 oz. madder, 4 oz. 
cudbear, 2 lbs. alum, 8 oz. tartar. Enter between the cold 
and 160° Fahrenheit; after heating up, boil from 10 to 30 
minutes; wash in 2 waters. All dark shades of this and 
the following color may be slightly prepared with chrome;, 
"wash in 2 waters. 



366 OUR HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

10. Slate. — For 50 lbs. 1 lb. logwood, 4 oz. fustic, 8 
oz. extract of indigo, 2 lbs, tartar, 2 lbs. alum. Work as 
for drab. 

11. Yellow. — For 40 lbs. 2| lbs. quercitron bark, 2 lbs. 
tartar, 2 quarts muriate of tin. Enter at 150° Fahrenheit; 
boil 30 minutes. 

12. Amber. — For 40 lbs. Boil 4 lbs. quercitron bark and 
8 oz. madder. Add 2 quarts muriate of tin, 1 lb. tartar. 
Enter at 200° Fahrenheit; boil 30 minutes. 

13. Orange. — For 50 lbs. Boil 10 lbs. quercitron bark 
and 1| lb. cochineal. Add 2 lbs. tartar, 2| quarts yellow 
spirits. Enter at 200° Fahrenheit; boil 30 minutes. 

14. Rose Color. — For 40 lbs. 1 lb. cochiueal, 3 giUs 
double muriate of tin, 1 lb. tartaric acid. Enter at 100° 
Fahrenheit, heat up; boil 15 minutes; lift, and cool to 120° 
by throwing out part of the liquor, and filling up with 
water; add 1 gill ammonia paste, 12 oz. tartaric acid, 6 oz. 
oxalic acid. Bring up to boiling; when the desired shade 
is reached, wash well and dry. 

15. Scarlet with Cochineal. — For 50 lbs. BoU 4 lbs. 
cochineal and If lb. quercitron bark. Add 3 lbs. tartar, 2 
qts. scarlet spirits. Enter at 200° Fahrenheit; boil 1 
one hour; wash well. Sour before dyeing, either cold or 
warm ; wash in 1 water and take out. 

Aniline Colors. — No mordant is necessary for these 
colors when used on silk or woolen; the proper quantity 
of clear liquid is mixed with slightly warm water, the scum 
skimmed off, and the goods entered and worked until 
the required shade is obtained. For dyeing cotton, the 
cloth is steeped in sumac or tannic acid, dyed in the color, 
and then fixed by tin; or the cloth may be sumaced 
and mordanted as usual with tin, and then dyed. 



ANILINE DYES. 367 

Aniline Dyes. 

The following recipes are for working pure anilines, 
and we suggest that to obtain good colors, the dyes used 
should be those of the Crown Aniline Works (T. H. Eaton 
and Son, Detroit, Mich). They can be obtained of any re- 
liable druggist who may choose to order them, or the cus- 
tomer can order direct from the manufacturers. It is very 
important to have clean soft water and clean goods to make 
good colors. To remove grease from goods, run them 
through sal-soda water. When you dye, use wood or cop- 
per vessels. 

Dissolving. — Aniline dyes of all colors should be dis- 
solved in water boiling hot, using 10 gallons of hot water to 
one pound of dye, and smaller quantities in proportion, be- 
fore being placed in the bath intended for immersing the 
goods. 

Dyeing Wool. 

Magenta. — Crimson. — Violet. — Dye in a neutral bath 
(a neutral bath is a bath of clean water only). Start at 
hand heat, and raise the temperature of the bath to below 
boiling point, but do not boil. The amount of dye to be 
used will depend upon the color you want to produce; the 
goods may be raised from time to time, and more dye 
added. Care should be taken to turn the goods well while 
in the bath ; wash in clean cold water, wring, and dr3\ 

For Silk, dye as above, only add a little dissolved Mar- 
•seilles soap. 

-icarlets and Cardinals. — For 50 pounds of goods, 
(smaller quantities in proportion), take one pound cochineal 



368 OUE R0ME8 AND lEEIB ADORNMENTS. 

substitute, or one pound cardinal red, dissolve, and add to a 
bath soured with oil of vitriol until the bath is about as sour 
as weak vinegar; enter the goods at hand heat, turn well 
while raisi>:g to the boil, and boil 30 minutes. Wash in 
cold water, wring, and dry. 

Silk is dyed in the same manner, only use strong vine- 
gar to sour the bath, and a some Marseilles soap. 

Scarlet and cardinal are fast colors, and will not fade. 

Pink. — For 50 pounds, take | pound of eosine, dissolve 
and add to a bath containing 5 lbs. of alum ; bring to the 
boil, but do not boil long. 

Orange. — Dye the same as scarlet ; use Orange I. 

Acid or Navy Blue. — For 50 pounds of goods, take one 
pound navy or any acid blue, dissolve the blue, and add 
to a bath containing oil of vitriol sufficient to make it as 
sour as weak vinegar; boil goods for one hour, wash well in 
cold water, wring, and dry, 

Nicholson Blue {Fast Blue). — For 50 pounds of goods, 
take I pound 3 B, Nicholson blue, dissolve, and add 
to a bath containing 5 pounds sa'-soda. Enter the 
goods, and work to the boiling point, boilmg 30 minutes; 
then take out and wash in clean cold water Prepare a 
second bath of clean water, make it sour to taste with oil 
of vitriol, bring the bath to hand heat, enter th/* goods, 
and bring to boiling point. Wash well in cold water, 
wring, and dry. 

Seal Brown.j-Fov 50 pounds of goods, dissolve one 
pound mode brown in 5 gallons boiling water; make your 
bath quite sour with oil of vitriol, add 5 pounds of glruber 



USEFUL SUGGESTIONS. . ,369 

salts. Enter the goods, boil 30 minutes, wash in cold water, 
and dry. 

Yellow. — Dye with acid yellow, and work same as 
scarlet. 

Green. — Dye with Frankfort green the same as for fast 
blue. 

Anilines are not adapted for domestic cotton dyeing, but 
a good color can be made with cotton blue by working in 
a bath of clear water containing cotton blue, alum, and 
glauber salts. For 50 pounds of goods, | pound blue, 2| 
pounds alum, and 2 pounds glauber salts. 

Useful Suggestions. 

In accommodation to the requirements of dyers, many of 
the recipes describe dyes for large quantities of goods; but 
to make them equally adapted for the use of private fami- 
lies, they are usually given in even quantities, so that it is 
quite an easy matter to ascertain the quantity of materials 
required for dyeing, when once the weight of the goods is 
known, the quantity of materials used being reduced in 
proportion to the smaller quantity of goods. 

Use soft water for all dyeing purposes, if it can be pro- 
cured, using 4 gals, water to 1 lb. of goods ; for larger quan- 
tities, a little less water will do. Let all the implements 
used in dyeing be kept perfectly clean. Prepare the goo-fe 
by scouring well with soap and water, washing the soap ( it 
well and dipping in warm water, previous to immersion \\ 
the dye or mordant. Goods should be well aired, rinsed, and 
properly hung up after dyeing. Silks, and fine goods should 
be tenderly liandled, otherwise injury to the fabric will re- 
sult. 24 



370 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

Mordants are solutions used to fix colors and may be 
made from several common chemicals. A good one is made 
by mixing copperas and acetate of iron in proportion of 
four of the former to six of the latter. Immerse the cotton 
or linen to be colored, in this before putting in color vat. 
Mordants must be used in dyeing cotton fabrics, as they fix 
the color. 

Before using Cudbear, it must always be drenched with 
a little hot water, to the con,sistency of paste ; then scald or 
boil it as occasion may require. 

A solution of tannin or sumac makes a good mordant. 
Alum or cream of tartar will answer. 

"Sour," referred to in some recipes, is made by stirring 
into clean water enough sulphuric acid to give a sharp taste. 
The acid can be procured at any druggist's. 

To Color Straw Hats or Bonnets a Beautiful Slate. 
— First, soak the bonnet in rather strong warm suds for 15 
minutes, to remove sizing or stiffening; then rinse in warm 
water, to get out the soap; now scald cudbear, 1 oz., in suf- 
ficient water to cover the hat or bonnet; work the bonnet 
in this dye, at 180° of heat, until you get a light purple; 
now have a bucket of cold water, blued with the extract of 
indigo, J oz., and work or stir the bonnet in this until the 
tint pleases; dry, then rinse out with cold water, and dry 
again in the shade. If you get the purple too deep in 
shade, the final slate will be too dark. 

Dye for Feathers. — Black: Immerse for two or three 
days in a bath, at first hot, of logwood, eight parts, and cop- 
peras or acetate of iron, one part. Blue : with the indigo vat. 
Brown : by using any of the brown dyes for silk or woolen. 
Crimson : a mordant of alum, followed by a hot bath of 



DIRECTIONS FOB BLEACHING. 371 

Brazil-wood, afterward by a weak dye of cudbear. Pink 
or Rose: with saf -flower or lemon juice. Plum: with 
the red dye, followed by an alkaline bath. Ped: a mor- 
dant of alum, followed by a bath of Brazil-wood. Yel- 
low : a mordant of alum, followed by a bath of turmeric or 
weld. Green Dye: take of verdigris and verditer, of 
each one ounce, gum water 1 pt. ; mix them well, and dip 
the feathers, they having been first soaked in hot water, 
into the said mixture. For Purple, use lake and indigo 
For Carnation, vermilion and smalt. Thin gum of 
starch water should be used in dyeing feathers. 

Bleaching. 

To Bleach Sponge. — Soak it well in dilute muriatic 
acid for twelve hours. Wash well with water to remove 
the lime, then immerse in a solution of hyposulphate of soda, 
to which dilute muriatic acid has been added a moment be- 
fore. After it is bleached sufficiently, remove it, wash 
again, and dry. It may thus be bleached almost white. 

To Whiten Lace. — Lace may be restored to its original 
whiteness by first ironing it slightly, then folding it, and 
sewing it into a clean linen bag, which is placed for twenty 
hours in pure olive-oil. Afterward the bag is to be boiled 
in a solution of soap and water for fifteen minutes, then well 
rinsed in lukewarm water, and finally dipped into water 
containing a slight proportion of starch. The lace is then 
to be taken from the bag, and stretched on pins to dry. 

Bleaching Straw Goods. — Straw is bleached by simply 
exposing it in a closed chamber to the fumes of burning sul- 
phur, an old flour barrel is the apparatus most used for the 
purpose by milliners, a flat stone being laid on the ground. 



372 OUB BOMBS AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

the sulphur ignited thereon, and the barrel containing the 
goods to be bleached turned over it. The goods should be 
previously washed in pure water. 

To Clean Ostrich Feathers. — Cut some white curd soap 
in small pieces, pour boiling water on it and add a little 
pearlash. When the soap is quite dissolved, and the mixt- 
ure cool enough for the hand to bear, plunge the feathers 
into it, and draw them through the hand till the dirt ap- 
pears squeezed out of them, pass them through a clean lather 
with some blue in it, then rinse them in cold water with 
blue to give them a good color. Beat them against the 
hand to shake off the water, and dry by shaking them 
near a fire. When perfectly dry, coil each fiber separately 
with a blunt knife, or ivory folder. 

Bleaching Powder. — Chloride of lime makes a good 
bleaching powder. The stuff to be bleached is first boiled 
in lime-water; wash, and without drying, boil again in a 
solution of soda or potash; wash, and without drying, steep 
in a weak mixture of chloride of lime and water for six 
hours; wash, and without drying, steep for four hours in a 
weak solution or mixture of sulphuric acid and water; wash 
well and dry. Upon an emergency, chlorate of potash, mixed 
with three times its weight of common salt and diluted in 
water, may be used as a bleaching liquid. 

Bleaching Ivory. — Antique works in ivory that have 
become discolored may be brought to a pure whiteness by 
exposing them to the sun under glasses. It is the particular 
property of ivory to resist the action of the sun's rays, when 
it is under glass; but when deprived of this protection, to 
become covered with a multitude of minute cracks. Many 
antique pieces of sculpture in ivory may be seen, which. 



DIRECTIONS FOB BLEACHING. S73 

although tolerably white, are, at the same time, defaced by- 
numerous cracks; this defect cannot be remedied; but in 
order to conceal it, the dust may be removed by brushing 
the work with warm water and soap, and afterward placing 
it under glass. Antique works in ivory that have become 
discolored, may be brushed with pumice-stone, calcined and 
diluted, and while yet wet placed under glasses. They 
should be daily exposed to the action of the sun, and be 
turned from time to time, that they may become equally 
bleached; if the brown color be deeper on one side than the 
other, that side will, of course, be for the longest time ex- 
posed to the sun. 

To Bleach Prints and Printed Books. — Simple im- 
mersion in dilute muriatic acid, letting the article remain in 
it a longer or shorter space of time, according to the strength 
of the liquor, will be sufficient to whiten an engraving ; if it 
be required to whiten the paper of a bound book, as it is 
necessary that all the leaves should be moistened by the 
acid, care must be taken to open the book well, and to make 
the boards rest on the edge of the vessel, in such a manner 
that the paper alone shall be dipped in the liquid ; the leaves 
must be separated from each other, in order that they may 
be equally moistened on both sides. The liquor assumes a 
yellow tint, and the paper becomes white in the same pro- 
portion. At the end of two or three hours the book may be 
taken from the acid liquor, and plunged into pure water 
with the same care and precaution as recommended in re- 
gard to the acid liquor, that the water may touch both sides 
of each leaf. The water must be renewed every hour, to 
extract the acid remaining in the paper, and to dissipate the 
disagreeable smell. Printed paper may also be bleached by 
sulphuric acid, or by alkaline or soap leys. 



374 



OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 



Washing Fluid. — Take 1 lb. sal-soda, ^ lb. good un- 
daked lime, and 5 qts. of water; boil a .short time, let it 
settle, and pour off the clear fluid into a stone jug, and cork 
for use; soak your white clothes over night in simple water, 
wring out and soap wristbands, collars, and dirty or stained 
places; have your boiler half filled with water just begin- 
ning to boil, then put in one common tea-cupful of this fluid, 
stir and put in your clothes, and boil for half an hour, then 
Tub lightly through one suds only, and all is complete. 




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[375] 



^Jn^HIS department embraces a list of Eecipes, many of 
^j^ which have appeared in no otner work, and the whole 
^^ list may be relied upon as practical, easy, and effective. 
*^ The following classification of subjects has been intro- 
duced for the benefit of the reader : Hints on Health, Hints 
on Home Adornments, Toilet Eecipes, Dyeing and Bleach- 
ing, Cleaning and Scouring, Yamishes and Paints, Cements, 
and Miscellaneous Eecipes. 



[376] 



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DISINFECTANT FOR SICK-ROOMS.— Let 

a reliable apothecary put up for you in a smaU 
bottle four ounces of ninety per cent alcohol and 
one ounce of thirty-six per cent nitric acid 
One-half of this mixture will disinfect a room 
fifty feet long, thirty feet wide, and twelve feet 
high. One large spoonful of it (one-half ounce) 
will disinfect a large bed-room containing 1,200 
cubic feet of air-space. Two tea-spoonfuls of it 
(two drachms) will disinfect a bed-room nine feet 
square, and seven and one-half feet high. A 
tea-spoonful (one drachm) is sufficient for 300 cubic feet of 
air-space. 

The method of using the mixture is as follows: Put the 
quantity to be used in a porcelain capsule (a tea saucer will 
do), set a pan of warm water in the room to be disinfected; 
let the capsule or saucer containing the disinfectant float on 
the surface of the warm water. The mixture in the float- 

[377] 




378 OUR HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

ing capsule or saucer will evaporate by the heat of the water, 
and the vapor will eft'ectively disinfect. Do n't try to evap- 
orate it on a stove, over a lamp, or by a fire ; mischief would 
result. Use exactly warm water to effect evaporation and 
nothing else. Use only porcelain to hold the mixture, for it 
will corrode metal. It will also spoil a good spoon. Label 
the bottle "poison," for it would be very dangerous to take 
it instead of medicine. The chemist will perceive that the 
disinfecting vapor evolved is nitrate of ethyl. The alcohol 
is in excess and so saturates the acid products of the reac- 
tion that they are not disagreeable, while they are equally 
effective. 

The material, in the quantity necessary to use, is very 
cheap, and the method of using it, when clearly understood, 
is very simple. The vapor evolved, while inoffensive, de- 
stroys infected dust and germs of putrefaction floating in 
the air of a sick-room. It is excellent for hospitals and 
public buildings; only, in large spaces, the quantity used 
should be divided and evaporated in different parts of the 
room. It is sufficient to use it once a day. 

Hygienists are indebted to a French scientist, M. Ley- 
russon, for this ingenious, cheap, and simple method of dis- 
infecting sick-rooms, without danger or even annoyance to 
the inmates. It has been very recently published in France. 

The Best Deodorizer. — Use bromo-chloralum in the pro- 
portion of one to eight table-spoonfuls of soft water ; dip cloths 
in this solution and hang in the rooms; it will purify sick- 
rooms of any foul smells. The surface of anything may be 
purified by washing well and then rubbing over with a 
weakened solution of bromo-chloralum. A weak solution is 
excJellent to rinse the mouth with often, when from any 



HINTS ON HEALTH. 379 

cause the breath is offensive. It is also an excellent wash 
for sores and wounds that have an offensive odor, 

Liyne-Water. — One of the most useful agents of house- 
hold economy, if rightly understood, is lime-water. Its 
mode of preparation is as follows : Put a stone of fresh un- 
slacked lime about the size of a half -peck measure into a 
large stone jar or unpainted pail, and pour over it slowly 
and carefully (so as not to slacken too rapidly), a tea-kettle 
full (four gallons), of hot water, and stir thoroughly ; let it 
settle, and then stir again two or three times in twenty-four 
hours. Then carefully bottle all that can be poured off in 
a clear and limpid state. 

It is often sold by druggists as a remedy for children's 
summer complaints, a tea-spoonful being a dose in a cup of 
milk, and when diarrhea is caused by acidity of the stomach, 
it is an excellent remedy, and when piit into milk gives no 
unpleasant taste, but rather improves the flavor. It may 
also be put into milk that is to be used for puddings and 
and pies, to prevent its curdling. A little stirred into cream 
or milk, after a hot day or night, will prevent its turning 
when used for tea or coffee. 

It is unequaled in cleansing bottles or small milk-vessels, 
or babies' nursing bottles, as it sweetens and purifies with- 
out leaving an unpleasant odor or flavor. A cupful, or even 
more, mixed in the sponge of bread or cakes made over 
night, will prevent souring. 



380 OUB E0ME8 AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

Preserving Autumn Leaves. — These may be easily pre- 
served and retain their natural tints, or nearly so, by either 
of the following methods: — 

As they are gathered they may be laid between the 
leaves of a magazine or large book until it is full, and left 
with a light weight upon them until the moisture in the 
leaves has been absorbed. Two or three thicknesses of paper 
should intervene between the leaves. If they are large or 
in clusters, take newspapers, lay them on a shelf, and use 
them as with a book. 

When the leaves have become perfectly dry, dip them in 
melted white wax into which you have put a few drops of 
turpentine, and lay them on clean papers to dry ; this will 
make the leaves pliable and natural, and give them suffi- 
cient gloss. Great care should be used to make the wax 
just hot enough, the temperature being ascertained by the 
first leaf dipped in. Draw it gently out of the wax and 
hold it up, — if the wax is too hot, the leaf will shrivel ; if too 
cool, the wax will adhere in lumps. Leaves preserved in 
this way make chaste and attractive ornaments, if grouped 
in graceful figures. 

Skeletonizing Leaves. — For the leaves, maple ones and 
those that have a pretty shape are the best: To one pound 
of soda-ash add two quarts of soft water. After it is all 
dissolved by boiling, add as many leaves as your dish will 
hold; lay them in flat, boil until the epidermis will come off 
easily. Try a leaf in cold water, and if only the veins 
remain they are done sufficiently. Clean them with an old 



HINTS ON HOME DECORATION. 381 

tooth-brush, and supply the missmg stems with fine wire. 
After they are well cleaned put them in a solution of chlo- 
ride of lime to bleach, ten cents' worth of lime is enough 
for leaves and ferns too. Gather the young ferns and put 
them in the solution of lime you have for your leaves, not 
the soda-ash, only the bleaching solution. Float them on 
stiff paper and put them in books to dry, after washing 
thoroughly in clear water to prevent them from turning 
yellow. Poppy-heads are very fine, also Molven balm fixed 
in this way is lovely for winter bouquets. Add more 
water to the leaves as it boils away. 

For Crystallizing Grass. — Ladies who admire beautiful 
bouquets of grasses, will appreciate the following recipe: — 

Take one and one-half pounds of rock alum, pour on. 
three pints of boiling water; when quite cool put into a 
wide-mouthed vessel, hang in. your grasses, a few at a time. 
Do not let them get too heavy, or the stems will not support 
them. You may again heat alum and add more grasses. 
By adding a little coloring matter it will give pleasing vari- 
ety. 

To Imitate Ground-Glass Windows. — Put a piece of 
putty weighing about six ounces into a muslin bag so as to 
form a smooth surface. After thoroughly cleaning the 
glass, pat it all over with the bag of putty, which being 
forced out through the muslin, will cover the glass. Let 
this dry hard, and varnish with shellac or white varnish. 
If still more time and pains are taken, the glass can be 
made to represent ground glass almost perfectly. Cut 
from stiff paper any graceful geometric or other pattern, 
paste it on the glass, and go over the part not covered by 
the pattern, as abova After the putty is dry, remove the 



382 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

pattern and paste with water. This plan is especially 
adapted to glass in doors. 

Ehonizing Wood. — The following is a recipe used by 
furniture manufacturers for the now popular style of ebon- 
ized wood: Logwood chips 8 oz., water q. s., copperas 

1 oz. Boil the logwood in one gallon of water for half an 
hour, and add the copperas. Apply to the wood hot, giv- 
ing two or three coats. In varnishing ebonized wood, a 
little drop ^black must be added, or the varnish will give a 
brown shade. 

The publishers have been at no smaU expense in secur- 
ing recipes for this work, and can assure their patrons that 
they have all been tested by experience. 

The toilet recipes have been furnished by a druggist of 
long standing, many of the formulas not having been given 
the public before. 

The Haib. , 

Hair Gloss. — Glycerine 6 oz., cologne 2 oz. Mix and 
iise to moisten the hair. 

Hair Oil. — Castor oil 6 oz., cologne spirits or alcohol 

2 oz. Perfume with bergamont or other desirable perfume. 

Hair Wash for Gleaning the Scalp. — Salts of Tartar \ 
oz., alcohol ^ of a pt., rain-water 1 pt., rose-water | pt. Mix 
and dissolve. If a profuse lather is desired, add more tartar. 

Hair Lotion, To Prevent Hair from Falling Out. — 
Bose-water 15 oz., glycerine 1 oz., aqua ammonia 1 dr., 
tincture of cantharides 2 dr. Mix, and use once a week. 



TOILET BECIPES. 383 

To Clean Hair-Brushes. — Use spirits of ammonia and 
hot water; wash them well and shake the water out, and 
they will be white and clean. Use no soap. 

To Beautify the Hai7\—2 oz. of olive oil, 4 oz. of good 
bay-rum, and 1 dr. of the oil of almonds. Mix and shake 
■well. It renders the hair dark and smooth. 

The Teeth. 

To Beautify the Teeth. — Dissolve 2 oz. of borax in three 
pints of boiling water, and before it is cold add one tea-spoon- 
ful of spirits of camphor ; bottle it for use. Use a tea-spoon- 
ful of this with an equal quantity of tepid water. 

Tooth Poiuder. — Precipitated chalk 4 oz., orris root 2 oz., 
rose pink ^ dr., oil of cloves 4 drops, oil winter-green J dr. 
Rub the oils with the powder, sift, and the powder is ready 
for use. It should be kept in a bottle. 

Tooth Wash. — Diluted alcohol | pint, borax, honey, gum 
myrrh, and red saunders, each I oz. Preparation. — Rub 
the honey and borax together in a bowl or mortar, and 
gradually add the alcohol ; add the myrrh and saunders, and 
allow the whole to stand fourteen days, when it may be 
filtered or strained. If some cologne is used instead of the 
alcohol, it will improve the wash. 

The Face and Hands. 

Bloom of Roses. — Rose-water 8 oz., carmine. No, 40, 1 dr., 
aqua ammonia ^ oz. Pulverize the carmine to a fine pow- 
der, add the aqua ammonia; and when the powder is en- 
tirely dissolved, add the rose-water. This is a very delicate 
and harmless cosmetic. 

Bloom of Youth. — Rose-water 1 pt., oxide of bismuth 4 



384 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

oz. Powder the bismuth and agitate with the rose-water. 
This wash can* be colored pink by adding a Httle carmine. 

Violet Powder. — Arrow root powdered, or wheat starch, 
4 oz., powdered orris root 1 oz., oil of lemon 5 drops, oil of 
doves and bergamot, each 4 drops. Stir the oils with the 
powder until thoroughly mixed. 

Aromatic Vinegar for the hands and face. — ^Acetic acid 
8 oz., oil lavender 2 dr., oil rosemary 1 dr., oil cloves 1 dr., 
camphor gum 1 oz. Dissolve the camphor in the acetic 
acid and add the oils. After remaining for a few days, 
strain, and it is ready for use. 

Camphor Ice. — | oz. each of camphor gum and white 
wax, spermaceti and sweet oil; melt slowly the hard ingre- 
dients, and then add the oil. 

Cold Cream,. — is oz. sweet almond oil, 2 oz. rose-water 
2 oz. white wax, 2 oz. cocoa butter, 2 oz. spermaceti; put 
a bowl in a pan of boiling water; cut the spermaceti, 
white wax, and cocoa butter in small pieces; put them in 
the bowl, also the oil and rose-water. When melted, stir 
contents until cold. 

For the Hands. — | oz. of glycerine with same amount of 
alcohol. Mix, and add 4 oz. of rose-water. Bottle, and 
shake well. An excellent remedy for rough or chapped 
hands. 

To Take Stains off the SJcin. — For cleaning the hands 
when stained with chemicals: Put ^ lb. glauber salts, ^ lb. 
chloride of lime, and 4 oz. of water into a small wide- 
3iiouthed bottle, and when required for use pour some of 
the mixture into a saucer and rub it well over the hands 
with a brush or coarse towl, and wash them in warm water. 

Acacia Sachet. — Exquisite and cheap perfume for the 
glove box or drawer : — 



VABNISHES. . 385 

Cassia buds and orris root, 2 oz. of each, in moderately 
fine powder. Sew up in a bag of silk. 

Pot-Pourri Sachet Powder. — Rose and lavender leaves, 2 
02L each, in coarse powder, coarse powdered orris root 1 oz., 
cloves, cinnamon, and allspice, each | oz. Mix well, and 
put into bags of fancy colored sUk, or into envelopes. 

To Varnish Furniture. — First make the work quite 
clean; then fill up all knots or blemishes with cement of the 
same color; see that the brush is clean, and free from loose 
hairs; then dip the brush in the varnish, stroke it along the 
wire raised across the top of the varnish pot, and give the 
work a thin and regular coat; soon after that another, and 
another, always taking care not to pass the brush twice in 
the same place; let it stand to dry in a moderately warm 
place, that the varnish may not chiU. When the work has 
had about six or seven coats, let it get quite hard (which 
prove by pressing the knuckles on it; if it leaves a mark, it 
is not hard enough) ; then with the first three fingers of the 
hand rub the varnish till it chafes, and proceed over that 
part of the work intended to be polished, in order to take 
out all the streaks or partial lumps made by the brush ; then 
give it another coat, and let it stand a day or two to harden. 
Varnish for Comvion Work. — This varnish is intended 
for protecting surfaces against atmospheric exposure. It 
has been used for coating wood and iron work with great 
advantage. Take 3 lbs. of resin and powder it, place it in 
a tin can, and add 2| pints of spirits of turpentine, shake 
well, and let it stand, shaking it occasionally for a day or 

25 



386 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

two. Then add 5 qts, of boiled oil, shake well together, 
and allow it to stand in a warm room till clear. The clear 
portion is decanted and used, or reduced with spirits of tur- 
pentine until of the proper consistency. 

Table Varnish. — Oil of turpentine 1 lb., beeswax 2 
oz., colophony 1 dr. Or, dammar resin 1 lb., spirits of tur- 
pentine 2 lbs., camphor 200 grains. Digest the mixture 
for twenty-four hours. The decanted portion is fit for im- 
mediate use. 

Turpentine Varnish. — To 1 pt. of spirits of turpentine 
add 10 oz, clear resin pounded; put it ia a tin can on a 
stove, and let it boil for half an hour. When the resin is all 
dissolved, let it cool, and it is ready for use. 

Varnishes for Furniture. — Shellac 1| lbs., naphtha 1 
gal. ; dissolve, and it is ready without filtering. 

Another recipe is, shellac 12 oz., copal 3 oz. (or an equiv- 
alent of varnish) ; dissolve in 1 gallon of naphtha. 

Common Varnish. — Digest shellac 1 part, with alcohol 
7 or 8 parts. 

White Furniture Varnish. — White-wax 6 oz., oil of 
turpentine 1 pint ; dissolve by gentle heat, taking care not 
to set the turpentine on fire. Apply in usual way. 

Furniture Polish. — Melt three or four pieces of sanda- 
rach, each of the size of a walnut, add 1 pint of boiled oil, 
and boil together for 1 hour. While cooling add 1 dr. of 
Venice turpentine, and if too thick a little oil of turpentine 
also. Apply this all over the furniture, and after some 
hours rub it off ; rub the furniture daily, without applying 
fresh varnish, except about once in two months. Water 
does not injure this polish, and any stain or scratch may be 
again covered, which cannot be done with French polish. 



VARNISHES AND POLISH. 387 

French Polish. — Gum shellac 2 oz., gum arable -| oz., 
gum copal I oz. Powder, and sift through a piece of mus- 
lin ; put them in a closely corked bottle with 2 pts. spirits of 
wine, in a very warm situation, shaking every day till the 
gums are dissolved; then strain through muslin and cork 
for use. 

Varnish for Water-jproof Goods. — Let a ^ lb. of India- 
rubber, in small pieces, soften in | lb. of oil of turpentine, 
then add 2 lbs. of boiled oil, and boil for 2 hours over a slow 
fire. When dissolved, add 6 lbs. of boiled linseed oil, and 1 
lb. of litharge, and boil until an even liquid is obtained. 
Apply warm. 

Varnish for Boots and Shoes. — Take a pint of linseed 
oil, with I lb. of mutton suet, the same quantity of bees- wax, 
and a small piece of resin. Boil all this in a pipkin together, 
and use it when milk- warm with a hair brush ; two appli- 
cations will make the articles water-proof. 

Beautiful Bronze, Applicable to all Metals. — Take 10 
parts aniline red (fuchsine), and 5 of aniline purple, and 
dissolve in 100 parts of 95 per cent alcohol, taking care to 
help the solution by placing the vessel in a sand or water 
bath. As soon as the solution is effected, 5 parts of benzoic 
acid are added, and the whole is boiled from 5 to 10 min- 
utes until the greenish color of the mixture is transformed 
into a fine light-colored brilliant bronze. Apply with a 
brush. 

Golden Varnish. — Pulverize 1 drachm of saffiron and ^ 
drachm of dragon's blood, and put them into 1 pint spirits 
of wine. Add 2 oz. of gum shellac and 5 drachms of soco- 
trine aloes. Dissolve the whole by gentle heat. Yellow 
painted work, varnished with this mixture, will appear al- 
most equal to gold. 



388 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

Varnish for Iron-work. — Dissolve, in about 2 lbs. of tar 
oil, ^ lb. of asphaltum, and a like quantity of pounded resin, 
mix hot in an iron kettle, care being taken to prevent any 
contact with the flame. When cold, the varnish is ready 
for use. This varnish is for out-door wood and iron work. 

Imitation Nickel Plating. — Coarse rasped granulated 
adnc is boiled for some time in a mixture of 3 parts by 
weight of sal ammoniac, and 10 of water, the objects im- 
mersed and stirred up with a zinc rod. The deposit is sil- 
very bright, and resists mechanical action as well as a coat- 
ing of nickel. The process can be recommended for goods 
which are meant for a second coating of some other metal, 
since any other is easily deposited on zinc. 

Interesting to Nickel Platers. — A simple process of 
nickel plating by boiling has been described by Dr. Kaiser. 
A bath of pure granulated tin tartar and water is prepared, 
and after being heated to the boiling point, has added to it 
a small quantity of pure red-hot nickel oxide. A portion 
of the nickel will soon dissolve and give a green color to the 
liquid over the grains of tin. Articles of copper or brass 
plunged into this bath acquire in a few minutes a bright 
metallic coating of almost pure nickel. If a little carbonate 
or tartrate of cobalt is added to the bath, a bluish shade, 
either light or dark, may be given to the coating, which be- 
comes very brilliant when it is properly polished with chalk 
or dry sawdust. 

After the ground is fairly closed up by frost for the winter, 
it will be an excellent time to paint the house, barn, and other 
form buildings, and all the farm implements and carriages 



BEPAINTINO CABBIAGES. 389 

that need it. Paint spread at this season of the year makes 
a durable covering, and there are no flies or other insects to 
spoil its looks after being spread, as during the hot days of 
summer. 

If the carriages and farm implements can be stored in a 
clean apartment, free from wind and dust, painting may go 
on uninterruptedly by doing the outside work in fair 
"weather and the carriage work during rainy days. 

Itepainting Carriages. — Previous to repainting or re- 
varnishing any old coach-work, it is necessary first to wash 
the work quite clean, and also to rub down the surface with 
a wet cloth and ground pumice powder, until it appears 
quite dead, or without gloss. The work should then be 
washed, and dried with a wash-leather ; after which it is fit 
to receive either paint or varnish. Old work is frequently 
dirty, greasy, and strongly impregnated with various exha- 
lations, very injurious to paint- work and varnish, from its 
being kept shut up in cold, damp coach-houses, which have 
often doors or passages communicating with stables, latrines, 
and so on. If therefore it be repainted or revarnished, with- 
out having been well washed and rubbed down, it seldom or 
never dries properly, owing to the exhalations with which 
the surface is in general incrusted ; and should the surface 
be even clear from grease, no paint or varnish will adhere, 
or can be well applied, on the old glossy surface, without its 
having been first rubbed down with the pumice powder and 
water, as that entirely removes all stains, grease, and gloss 
from the surface. Paint or varnish will then adhere to the 
old ground, and can be easily worlied and extended with 
the brush, without the color cisslng, as it is termed. Var- 
nish is very apt to ciss on old work, if the second coat is not 



390 OUB HOMES AND TEEIB ADORNMENTS. 

applied as soon as the first coat is hard enough to bear 
varnishing. 

Economical Paint. — Skim-milk 2 qts., fresh-slacked 
lime 8 oz., linseed oil 6 oz., white Burgundy pitch 2 oz., 
Spanish white 3 lbs. The lime to be slaked in water ex- 
posed to the air, mixed in one-fourth of the milk; the oil in 
which the pitch is previously dissolved, to be added a little 
at a time; then the rest of the milk, and afterward the 
Spanish white. This quantity is sufficient for 27 sq. yds., 
two coats. 

To Remove Old Paint. — Wet the place with naphtha, 
repeating as often as is required; but frequently one appli- 
cation will dissolve the paint. As soon as it is softened, rub 
the surface clean. Chloroform, mixed with a small quan- 
tity of spirit ammonia, composed of strong ammoniac, has 
been employed very successfully to remove the stains of dry 
paint from wood, silk, and other substances. 

To Destroy Paint. — Mix 1 part by weight of potash 
with 3 parts quick-Ume, by slaking the lime in water and 
then adding the potash, making the mixture about the con- 
sistency of paint. Lay the above over the whole of the 
work required to be cleaned, with an old brush; let it re- 
main 14 or 16 hours, when the paint can be easily scraped 
off. 

Fire-proqflng Shingle Roofs. — A wash composed of lime, 
salt, and fine sand or wood-ashes, put on in the ordinary 
way of whitewash, renders a shingle roof fifty-fold more safe 
against fire from falling cinders, in case of fire in the vi- 
cinity. It has also a preserving influence against the effect 
of the weather; the older and more weather-beaten the 
shingles, the more benefit derived. Such shingles are gen- 



DIFFERENT KINDS OF PAINT. 391 

erally more or less warped, rough, and cracked. The appli- 
cation of wash, by washing the upper surface, restores them 
to their origraal or firm form, thereby closing the space be- 
tween the shingles ; and the lime and sand, by filling up the 
cracks, prevent its warping. By the addition of a small 
quantity of lamp-black, the wash may be made of the same 
color as old shingles, and thus the ofiensive glare of a white- 
washed roof is removed. 

Paint for Blackboards in Schools. — Common glue 4 
oz., flour of emery 3 oz., and just lamp-black enough to 
give an inky color to the preparation. Dissolve the glue in 
f qt. of warm water, put in the lamp-black and emery, stir 
tm there are no lumps, then apply to the board with a 
woolen rag smoothly rolled. Three coats are amply sufficient. 

Compownd, Fire-jproof Iron Paint. — Finely pulverized 
iron fillings 1 part, brick-dust 1 part, and ashes 1 part. 
Pour over them glue-water or size, set the whole near the 
fire, and when warm, stir them well together. "With this 
paint cover all the wood- work which may be in danger; 
when dry, give a second coat, and the wood will be rendered 
incombustible. 

Remedy for Damp Walls. — f lb. of mottled soap to 1 
gal. of water. This composition to be laid over the brick- 
work steadily and carefully with a large flat brush, so as 
not to form a froth or lather on the surface. The wash should 
remain 24 hours, to become dry. Mix | lb. of alum with 
4 gals, of water, leave it to stand for 24 hours, and then 
apply it in the same manner over the coating of soap. Let 
this be done in dry weather. 

Barkening Glass. — The following, if neatly done, ren- 
ders the glass obscure yet diaphanous: Rub up, as for oil- 



392 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

colors, a sufficient quantity of sugar of lead with a little 
boiled linseed oil, and distribute this uniformly over the 
pane, from the end of a hog-hair tool, by a dabbing, jerking 
motion, until the appearance of ground glass is obtained. 
It may be ornamented, when perfectly hard, b}'' delineating 
the pattern with a strong solution of caustic potash, giving 
it such time to act as experience dictates, and then expedi- 
tiously wiping out the portion it is necessary to remove. 

To Prevent Iron Rusting. — Give it a coat of linseed 
oil and whiting, mixed together in the form of a paste. It 
is easily removed and will preserve iron from rusting for 
year& 



S>^C<xv\M/n<x ^^Wo<>b<:>. 



There is little trouble in preparing the stain, and its 
application differs but slightly from painting. 

Directions for Staining. — In preparing any of the 
tinctures, it is of importance to powder or mash all the dry 
stuffs previous to dissolving or macerating them, and to 
purify all the liquids by filtration before use. It will be 
better for inexperienced hands to coat twice or three times 
with a weak stain than only once with a very strong one, 
as by adopting the first mode a particular tint may be grad- 
ually effected, whereas, by pursuing the latter course, an 
irremediable discolorization may be the result. Coarse 
pieces of carving, spongy end, and cross-grained woods, 
should be previously prepared for the reception of stain; 
this is best done by putting on a thin layer of varnish, 
letting it dry, and then sand-papering it completely off 
*^aui. Fine work merely requires to be oiled and slightly 



STAINING WOODS. 393 

rubbed with the finest sand-paper. Thus prepared, the 
woody fiber is enabled to take on the stain moT-e regularly, 
and to attain a high degree of smoothness. Stains may be 
applied with a good brush or with a woolen rag or sponge. 

To Stain Walnut. — Use burnt umber and linseed oil, 
apply with a brush, and when dry sand-paper again and 
apply more stain. When the desired stain is made, varnish. 
A quick stain may be made by using water or thin glue in- 
stead of oil. This stain is not durable. 

Another. — Water 1 qt., washing soda 1| oz., Vandyke 
brown 2| oz., bichromate of potash I oz. Boil for 10 
minutes, and apply with a brush, in either a hot or cold stain. 

Black Stain. — Boil 1 lb. of logwood in 4 qts. of water, 
add a double handful of walnut peel or shells; boil it up 
again, take out the chips, add a pint of the best vinegar, 
and it will be fit for use; apply it boiling. This will be 
improved, if, when dry, a solution of green copperas, an 
ounce to a quart of water, is applied hot over the first stain. 

Black Stains for Immediate Use. — Boil | lb. of chip 
logwood in 2 qts. of water, add 1 oz. of pearlash, and apply it 
hot to the work with a brush. Then take | lb. of logwood, 
boil it as before in 2 qts. of water, and add ^ oz. of verdigris 
and ^ oz. of copperas; strain it off", put in J lb. of rusty steel 
filings ; with this go over the work a second time. 

Ebony Stains. — Stain work with the black stain, adding 
powdered nutgall to the logwood and copperas solution, dry, 
rub down well, oil, then use French polish made tolerably 
dark with indigo, or finely-powdered stone-blue. 

Cherry Stain. — Soft water 3 qts., annotto 4 oz. ; boil 
in a copper kettle till the annotto is dissolved, put in a piece 
of potash the size of a walnut; simmer over the fire about 
half an hour longer, and it is ready to bottle for use. 



394 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 



To Glean Pearls. — Soak them in hot "water in which 
bran has been boiled, with a little salts of tartar and alum, 
rubbing gently between the hands, when the heat will admit 
of it; when the water is cold, renew the application till any 
discoloration is removed ; rinse in warm water. Lay them 
on white paper in a dark place to cool. 

To Clean Marble, Etc. — Mix up a quantity of the 
strongest soap-lees with quick-lime, to the consistency of 
milk, and lay it on the stone for twenty-four hours. Clean 
it, and it will appear as new. This may be improved by 
rubbing afterward with fine putty powder on olive-oil. 

To Clean Oil-Paintings. — Wash with a sponge or a 
soft leather and water, and dry with a silk handkerchief. 
When the picture is very dirty, take it out of its frame, pro- 
cure a clean towel, and making it quite wet, lay it on the 
face of the picture, sprinkling it from time to time with 
clear, soft water. Let it remain wet for two or three days. 
Take the cloth off and renew it with a fresh one. After 
wiping the picture with a clean wet sponge, repeat the proc- 
ess till all the dirt is soaked out; then wash it well with a 
soft sponge, let it become quite dry, and rub it with some 
clear nut or linseed oil. Spirits of wine and turpentine may 
be used to dissolve the hard old varnish, but they will attack 
the paint as well as the varnish if the further action of the 
spirits is not stopped at the proper time by using water freely. 

To Clean Plate. — Take an ounce each of cream of 
tartar, muriate of soda, and alum, and boil in a gallon or 
more of water. After the plate is taken out and rubbed 



CLEANING AND SGOUBING. 395 

dry, it puts on a beautiful silvery whiteness. Powdered 
magnesia may be used dry for articles slightly tarnished, 
but if very dirty it must be used first wet and then dry. 

To Clean Brass or Copper. — Take 1 oz. of oxalic acid, 
6 oz. rotten-stone, ^ oz. gum arable, all in powder, 1 oz. 
sweet oil, and sufficient water to make a paste. Apply a 
small portion, and rub dry with a flannel or leather. 

Silver Plate. — Mix together 8 oz. prepared chalk, 2 oz. 
turpentine, 1 oz. alcohol, 4 dr. spirits of camphor, and 2 dr. 
liquor of ammonia. Apply this mixture to the article 
with a sponge, and allow to dry before polishing. 

Silver Cleaning Liquid. — Prepared chalk 8 oz., tur- 
pentine 2 oz., alcohol 1 oz., spirits of camphor 4 dr., liq- 
uor of ammonia 2 dr. Apply with a sponge, and allow to 
dry before polishing. Or use a solution of cyanide of po- 
tassium, 12 oz. cyanide to 1 qt. water; immerse the silver, 
brush it with a stiff brush until clean, wash and dry. 

Cleaning Hats. — The stains of grease and paint may be 
removed from fur hats by means of turpentine; and if the 
turpentine leaves a mark, finish with a little spirits of wine. 

Cleaning Jewelry. — Common jewelry may be efiectually 
cleaned by washing with soap and warm water, rinsing in 
cold water, dipping in spirits of any kind, and drying in 
warm boxwood sawdust. Good jewelry only needs wash- 
ing with soap and water, and polishing with rouge and a 
chamois leather. 

Cleaning Engravings. — Put the engraving on a smooth 
board, cover it thinly with common salt, finely pounded; 
squeeze lemon-juice upon the salt so as to dissolve a consid- 
erable portion of it ; elevate one end of the board, so that it 
may form an angle of about 45° or 50° with the horizon. 



396 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

Pour on the engraving boiling water from a tea-kettle, 
until the salt and lemon-juice are all washed off; the engrav- 
ing will then be perfectly clean, and free from stains. It 
must be dried on the board, or on some smooth surface, 
gradually. If dried by the fire or the sun, it will be tinged 
with a yellow color. 

Polishing Wood Carving. — Take a piece of wadding, 
soft and pliable, and on it drop a few drops of white or trans- 
parent polish or French polish, according to the color of the 
wood. Wrap the wetted wadding up in a piece of old linen, 
forming it into a pad; and hold it by the surplus linen; 
then touch with one or two drops of linseed oil. Pass 
the pad gently over the parts to be polished, working it 
round in small circles, occasionally re-wetting the wadding 
in polish, and the pad with a drop or so of oil. The object 
of the oil is merely to cause the pad to run over the wood 
easily without sticking, therefore as little as possible should 
be used, as it tends to deaden the polish to a certain extent. 

Where a carving is to be polished after having been 
varnished, the same process is necessary, but it can only be 
applied to the plainer portions of the work. Plane surfaces 
must be made perfectly smooth with glass paper before pol- 
ishing, as every scratch or mark will show twice as much 
after the operation. When the polish is first rubbed on the 
wood, it is called the bodying in; it will sink into the wood 
and not give much glaze. It must, when dry, have another 
body rubbed on, and a third generally finishes it; but if 
not, the operation must be repeated. Just before the task 
is completed, greasy smears will show themselves; thase will 
disappear by continuing the gentle rubbing without oiling 
the pad. 



GLEANING AND SCOURING. 397 

Polishing Mother-of -Pearl. — Go over it with pumice- 
stone finely powdered and washed to separate the impurities 
and dirt, with which pohsh it very smooth; then apply 
putty powder and water by a rubber, which will produce a 
fine gloss and good color. 

Floors. — Take some clean, sifted, white or silver sand, 
and scatter it on the floor. Dissolve one pound of American, 
potash or pearlash, in one pint of water, and sprinkle the 
sand with this solution. Have a pail of very hot water, 
and scrub the boards lengthwise with a hard brush, 
using the mottled soap. Change the water frequently. 
This is the best way to scour and whiten boards. The pot- 
ash, if applied as directed, will take out all stains. 

Ink stains may be removed from boards by using either 
strong vinegar or salts of lemon. 

Gleaning House Paint. — Old paint-work should be 
first well dusted, then cleaned by washing with a ley of 
pearlash and water; it is sometimes necessary, after the 
washing, to give a coat of weak size, and as soon as it is 
dry, apply varnish, using copal for light work, and carriage 
for dark. Some handraUs, doors, and so on, are so saturated 
with grease, that no washing will remove it. When this is 
the case, brush the foul parts over with strong fresh-made 
lime- wash, let that dry, then rub it off; if the grease is not 
removed, repeat the lime-washing, until the grease is thor- 
oughly drawn out; wash the lime off clean, and afterward 
apply the sizing, and lastly the varnish. 

To Wash Silver Ware. — Never use a particle of soap on 
your silver ware, as it dulls the luster, giving the article 
more the appearance of pewter than silver. When it wants 
cleaning, rub it with a piece of soft leather and prepared 



398 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

chalk, the latter made into a kind of paste with pure water, 
for the reELSon that water not pure might contain gritty 
particles. 

Cleaning Gilt Frames. — Gilt frames may be cleaned 
by simply washing them with a small sponge, wet with 
urine, hot spirits of wine, or oil of turpentine, not too 
wet, but sufficiently to take off the dirt and fly marks. 
They should not be afterward wiped, but left to dry of 
themselves.' 

Scouring Articles of Dress. — Among the spots which 
alter the color fixed upon stuffs, some are caused by a sub- 
stance which may be described as simple, and others by a sub- 
stance which results from the combination of two or more 
bodies, that may act separately or together upon the stuff, 
and which may therefore be called compound. 



Sfeo/m/na eFa-G^tico. 



Oils and fats are the substances which form the greater 
part of sunple stains. They give a deep shade to the ground 
of the cloth; they continue to spread for several days; they 
attract the dust, and retain it so strongly that it is not 
removable by the brush; and they eventually render the 
stain lighter colored, upon a dark ground, and of a dis- 
agreeable gray tint upon a pale or light ground. 

The general principle of cleansing all spots consists in 
applying to them a substance with a stronger affinity for 
the matter composing them than this has for the cloth, and 
which shall render them soluble in some liquid menstruum, 
such as water, spirits, naphtha, or oil of turpentine. Alkalies 
are the most powerful solvents of grease; but they act too 



REMOVING STAINS. 399 

strongly" upon silk and wool, as well as change too power- 
fully the colors of dyed stuffs, to be safely applicable in re- 
moving stains. The best substances for this purpose are: 
1. Soap. 2. Chalk, fuller's- earth, soap-stone, or French chalk. 
These should be mixed with a little water, made into a 
thin paste, spread upon the stain, and allowed to dry. The 
spot requires now to be merely brushed. 3. The volatile oil of 
turpentine will take out only recent stains; for which pur- 
pose it ought to be previously purified by distillation over 
quick-lime. Wax, resin, turpentine, pitch, and all resinous 
bodies in general, form stains of greater or less adhesion, 
which may be dissolved out by pure alcohol. 4. Oxalic acid 
removes iron rust almost instantly. 

A stain of iron rust and grease requires two distinct 
operations, one to remove the grease and the other the rust, 
which can be done as indicated in preceding directions. 

Recent Ink Stains- — may be removed by washing in pure 
water, then in soapy water, and lastly with lemon-juice; but 
if the stain be old, use oxalic acid, which may be applied in 
powder, well rubbed on, and washed off with pure water. 

Ox-gall and yolk of egg have the property of dissolving 
fatty bodies without perceptibly affecting the texture or 
colors of cloth, and may therefore be employed with ad- 
vantage. The ox -gall should be purified, to prevent its 
greenish tint from degrading the brilliancy of dyed stuffs, 
or the purity of whites. Thus prepared it is the most prec- 
ious of all substances known for removing these kinds of 
stains. 

Grease from Cloth. — Grease can be removed from cloth 
by a paste of fuUer's-earth and turpentine. This should be 
rubbed on the fabric until the turpentine has evaporated and 



400 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

a white powder produced. The latter can be brushed off, 
and the grease will have disappeared. 

Another. — Benzine, alcohol, ether, equal parts; mix, 
apply with a spong-e (patting the spot), put a piece of blot- 
ting paper on each side and iron with a hot flat-iron. The 
ingredients are very inflammable; use great care not to take 
them too near a fire. 

To Destroy the Effects of Acid on Clothes. — Dampen as 
soon as possible, after exposure to the acid, with spirits of 
ammonia. It will destroy the efiect immediately. 

Fruit Stains. — First rub the spot on each side with hard 
soap, and then lay on a thick mixture of starch and cold 
water. Rub this mixture of starch well into the spot, and 
afterward expose it to the sun and air. If the stain has 
not disappeared at the end of three or four days, repeat the 
process. 

Grease Spots. — Dissolve one ounce of pearlash in one pint 
of water, and to this solution add a lemon cut into thin 
slices. Mix well, and keep the mixture in a warm state for 
two days, then strain and bottle the clear liquid for use. A 
small quantity of this mixture poured on stains occasioned 
by either grease, oil, or pitch, will speedily remove them. 
Afterward wash in clear water. 

Ink Stains. — Strain the linen tightly over a basin con- 
taining boiling water, and wet the stain with water. Then 
carefully let fall on the spot a few drops of salts of lemon, or 
diluted spirits of salt; use for this purpose a feather, or small 
camel's-hair pencil. When the stain has been removed, 
■wash carefully in cold water. 

Iron-mold stains may also be removed by this method. 

To Wash Lace. — Cover an ordinary wine bottle wifch 



TO REVIVE FUBS AND RENOVATE SILK. 401 

fine flannel, stitching it firmly round the bottle. Tack one 
end of the lace to the flannel, then roll it very smoothly. 
roimd the bottle, and tack down the other end, then cover 
with a piece of very fine flannel or muslin. Now rub it 
gently with a strong soap liquor, and if the lace is very 
much discolored or dirty, fill the bottle with hot water, and 
place it in a kettle or saucepan of suds and boil it for a few 
minutes, then place the bottle under a tap of running water 
to rinse out the soap. Make some strong starch, and melt 
in it a piece of white wax and a little loaf sugar. Plunge 
the bottle two or three times into this and squeeze out the 
superfluous starch with the hands; then dip the bottle in 
cold water, remove the outer covering from the lace, fill the 
bottle with hot water, and stand it in the sun to dry the 
lace. When nearly dry take it very carefully off the bottle, 
and pick it out with the fingers. Then lay it in a cool place 
to dry thoroughly. 

Reviving Furs. — Thoroughly sprinkle every part with 
hot fiour and sand, and brush well with a hard brush. Then 
beat with a cane, comb it smooth with a wet comb, and 
press carefully with a warm iron. For ermine use plaster-of- 
Paris instead of flour and sand, and treat in the same way. 

To Renovate Silk. — Potato- water is good to clean all 
colors and kinds; grate the potatoes into cold spring water, 
say a large potato to every quart of water, of which five or 
six will do for a couple of dresses. If for very light silk, 
pare the potatoes; if for dark, merely wash them clean. 
The pan of water must not be stirred in the least for forty- 
eight hours; then, very slowly and steadily pour off the clear 
liquor, but not a particle of the sediment, into a large open 
vessel, dip the pieces of silk into this Hquid up and down a 

26 



402 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

few times, without creasing them ; then wipe them on a flat 
table with a clean towel, first one side, then the other. It 
is as well to hang each one as dipped upon a line to allow 
the drops to drain off a little before wiping. Have a damp 
cloth to cover them in till all is done; then iron one way, on 
the soiled side. 

To Wash Feathers. — Dissolve four ounces of white soap 
in two quarts of boiling water; put it into a large basin or 
small pan, and beat to a strong lather with a wire egg-beater 
or a small bundle of birch twigs ; use while warm. Hold the 
feather by the quill with the left hand, dip it into the soap 
liquor and squeeze it through the right hand, using a moderate 
degree of pressure. Continue this operation until the feather 
is perfectly clean and white, using a second lot of soap 
liquor if necessary. Rinse in clean hot water to take out 
the soap, and afterward in cold water in which a small 
quantity of blue has been dissolved. Shake well, and dry 
before a moderate fire, shaking it occasionally that it may 
look full and soft when dried. Before it is quite dry curl 
each fibre separately with a blunt knife or ivory paper- 
folder. 

To Wash Carpets. — Spread the carpet where you can 
use a brush, take Irish potatoes and scrape them into a pail 
or tub of water and let them stand over night, using one 
peck to clean a large carpet; two pails of water is sufficient 
to let them stand in, and you can add more when ready to 
use; add two ounces of beef gall and use with a brush, as 'to 
scrub a floor; the particles of potato will help cleanse, and 
when dry, brush with a broom or stiff brush. 

Excellent Family Soap. — 1 box concentrated lye, 5 
lbs. grease, 1 lb. resin, 1| gals, soft water; make in an 



RECIPES FOB CEMENTS. 403 

iron pot. When the water boils, put in the lye; when 
this is dissolved, add the grease; stir till all is melted, then 
add one pound of resin gradually, and boil for an hour and 
a half; keep stirring with a stick, and add hot water to keep 
up the original quantity, pour into wet tin pans, and let it 
stand for twenty -four hours. Cut into bars, and keep in a 
dry, warm place for a month. 

Washing Fluid. — 9 table-spoonfuls unslacked lime, 2 lbs. 
sal-soda, 4 qts. water; let this simmer half an hour, then 
bottle up. Take a small tea-cupful to a boiler of water. 

Another. — 1 lb. sal-soda, 1 lb. potash, each dissolved in 1 
gal. water (separately) ; mix together and bottle. 

Cheap Filter. — Take a common flower-pot as large as 
possible, plug the hole in the bottom with a piece of sponge, 
then put a layer of powdered charcoal about an inch thick, 
the same of clean sand, and a layer of small stones and coarse 
gravel about two inches thick. Set the pot where the water 
can drop off the sponge, and pour in water gently. In a few 
minutes the water will find its way through the sand and 
charcoal and drop into the vessel placed below, clear and 
free from impurities. 

How to Use Cements. — Take as small a quantity of the 
cement as possible, and bring the cement itself into intimate 
contact with the surfaces to be united. If glue is employed, 
the surface should be made so warm that the molted glue is 
not chilled before it has time to effect a thorough adhesion. 
Cements that are used in a fused state, as resin or shellac, 
will not adhere unless the parts to be joined are heated to 



404 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

the fusing point of the cement. Sealing-wax, or ordinary 
electrical cement, is a good agent for uniting metal to glass 
or stone, provided the masses to be united are made so hot 
as to fuse the cement, but if the cement is applied to them 
while they are cold it will not stick at all. This fact is well 
known to the itinerant vendors of cement for uniting earth- 
enware. By heating two pieces of china or earthenware so 
that they will fuse shellac, they are able to smear them with 
a little of this gum, and join the pieces so that they will 
rather break at any other part than along the line of union. 

But although people constantly see the operation per- 
formed, and buy liberally of the cement, it will be found in 
nine cases out of ten that the cement proves worthless in the 
hands of the purchasers, simply because they do not know 
how to use it. They are afraid to heat a delicate glass or 
porcelain vessel to a sufficient degree, or they are apt to use 
too much of the material, and the result is a failure. 

Cement for Ivory or Mother-of -Pearl. — Dissolve 1 part 
of isinglass and 2 of white glue in 80 parts of water, strain 
and evaporate to 6 parts, add one-thirtieth part of gum 
mastic, dissolved in one-half part of alcohol, add 1 part 
of white zinc. When required to use, warm and shake up. 

Cer)%ent for Jet. — Shellac is generally used for jet arti- 
cles. The broken edges should be heated before applying 
the shellac. Should the joint be in sight, it will be rendered 
the same color as the jet itself by smoking the shellac before 
applying it. 

Cheap India-Ruhher Cement. — Cut virgin or native 
India-rubber with a wet knife into the thinest possible slices, 
and with shears divide these into threads as fine as fine 
yarn. Put a small quantity of the shreds, (say one-tenth 



BECIPES FOB CEMENTS. 405 

or less of the capacity of the bottle), mto a -wide-mouthed 
bottle, and fill it three-quarters full with benzine of good 
quahty perfectly free from oil. The rubber will swell up 
almost immediately, and in a few days, especially if often 
shaken, assume the consistency of honey. If it inclines to 
remain in undissolved masses, more benzine must be added, 
but if too thin and watery it needs more rubber. A piece 
of solid rubber the size of a walnut will make a pint of 
cement. It dries in a few minutes, and by using three coats 
in the usual manner, will unite leather straps, patches, rubber 
soles, backs of books, etc., with exceeding firmness. 

Cement for Petroleum Lamps. — Boil 3 parts of resin 
with 1 part of caustic soda and 5 of water. The composi- 
tion is then mixed with half its weight of plaster-of-Paris, 
and sets firmly in one-half to three-fourths of an hour. It 
is of great adhesive power, not permeable to petroleum, a 
slow conductor of heat, and but superficially attacked by 
hot water. 

Cement to Mend Iron Pots and Pans. — Take 2 parts 
of sulphur, and 1 part, by weight, of fine black-lead, put 
the sulphur in an old iron pan, holding it over the fire until 
it begins to melt; then add the lead, stir well until all is 
mixed and melted, then pour out on an iron plate, or smooth 
stone. When cool, break into small pieces. A sufficient 
quantity of this compound being placed upon the crack of 
the iron pot to be mended, can be soldered by a hot iron in 
the same way a tinsmith solders his sheets. If there is a 
small hole in the pot, drive a copper rivet into it and then 
solder over it with this cement. 

London Cement. — Boil a piece of old cheese three times 
in water, each time allowing the water to evaporate. Take 



406 OUE HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

the paste thus left and thoroughly incorporate with dry 
quick-lime. It willl mend glass, wood, china, etc, very 
effectually. 

Cement for Wood Vessels Required to he Water- 
Tight. — Take lime-clay and oxide of iron, seperately cal- 
cined and reduced to fine powder, then intimately mixed, 
kept in a close vessel, and mixed with the requisite quantity 
of water when used. 

Cement for Leather. — A good cement for splicing leather 
for straps is gutta-percha dissolved in bisulphide of carbon, 
until it is of the, thickness of molasses; the parts to be 
cemented must first be well thinned down, then pour a small 
quantity of the cement on both ends, spreading it well so as 
to fill the pores of the leather, warm the parts over a fire for 
about half a minute, apply them quickly together and ham- 
mer well. The bottle containing the cement should be 
tightly corked and kept in a cool place. 

Marble Cement. — Take plaster-of -Paris and soak it in 
a saturated solution of alum, then bake in an oven, the same 
as gypsum is baked to make it plaster-of- Paris ; after which 
grind the mixture to powder. It is then used as wanted, 
being mixe^ up with water like plaster and applied. It sets 
into a very hard composition capable of taking a very high 
polish, and may be mixed with various coloring minerals to 
produce a cement of any color capable of imitating marble. 
This cement is also used for attaching glass to metal. 

Chinese Cement. — Finest pale orange shellac, broken 
small, 4 oz., rectified spirit, the strongest, 3 oz., digest to- 
gether in a corked bottle in a warm place untU disvSolved ; il 
should have the consistency of molasses. It is used for wood, 
glass, ivory, jewelry, and all fancy works. 



BEGIPES FOB CEMENTS. 407 

Cements for Cracks in Wood. — Make a paste of slacked 
lime 1 part, rye meal 2 parts, with a sufficient quantity of 
linseed oil. Or, dissolve 1 part of glue in 16 parts of water, 
and when almost cool, stir in sawdust and prepared chalk a 
sufficient quantity. Or, oil-varnish thickened with a mixt- 
ure of equal parts of white-lead, red-lead, litharge, and 
chalk. 

To Mend China. — Take a very thick solution of gum 
arable in water, and stir into it plaster-of -Paris until the 
mixture becomes of a proper consistency. Apply it with a 
brush to the fractured edges of the china, and stick them 
together. In three days the articles cannot be broken in 
the same place. The whiteness of the cement renders it 
doubly valuable. 

Stone-Masons Cement. — Clean river sand 20 lbs., lith- 
arge 2 lbs., quick-lime 1 lb., linseed oil, sufficient to form a 
thiQ paste. This cement is used to mend broken pieces 
of stone, and after a time it becomes exceedingly hard and 
strong. A similar composition has been used to coat brick 
walls, under the name of mastic. 

Fire-Proof and Water-Proof Cement. — To~4 or 5 parts 
of clay, thoroughly dried and pulverized, add 2 parts of fine 
iron filings free from oxide, 1 part of peroxide of manganese, J 
part of sea salt, and | part of borax. Mingle these thor- 
oughly and render them as fine as possible, then reduce 
them to a thick paste with the necessary quantity of water. 
It must be used immediately. After application, it should 
be exposed to heat, gradually increasing almost to a white 
heat. This cement is very hard, and presents complete re- 
sistance alike to a red heat and boiling water. 

Another Method. — To equal parts of sifted peroxide of 



408 OUB SOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

manganese and well -pulverized zinc white, add a sufficient 
quantity of commercial soluble glass to form a thin paste. 
This mixture, when used immediately, forms a cement quite 
equal in hardness and resistance to that obtained by the first 
method. 

ArTYienian, or Jeiueler's Cement. — Dissolve 5 or 6 bits 
of gum mastic, the size of a large pea, in as much spirits of 
wine as will suffice to render it liquid; in a separate vessel 
dissolve as much isinglass (previously softened in water, 
though none of the water must be used) in rum, or other 
spirit, as will make a 2-oz. phial of very strong glue, add- 
ing two small pieces of gum ammoniacum, which must be 
rubbed or ground till they are dissolved; then mix the whole 
with a sufficient heat. Keep it in a phial closely stopped, 
and when it is to be used, set the phial in boiling water. 
The preceding is also effectual in uniting almost all sub- 
stances, even glass, to polished steel. 

To Renew Manuscripts. — Take a hair pencil and wash 
the part that has been effaced with a solution of prussiate of 
potash and water, and the writing will again appear if the 
paper has not been destroyed. 

Tracing Paper. — 1. Wash very thin paper with the 
following mixture: Spirits turpentine, 6 parts, by weight, 
resin 1 part, boiled nut oil 1 part. Apply with a soft 
sponge. 

2. Brush over one side of a good, thin, unsized paper 
with a varnish made of equal parts of Canada balsam and 
turpentine. If required to take water-color, it must be 
washed over with ox-gall and dried before being used. 



MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES. 409 

3. Open a quire of double-crown tissue paper, and brash 
the first sheet with a mixture of mastic varnish and oil of 
turpentine, equal parts; proceed with each sheet similarly, 
and dry them on lines by hanging them up singly. As the 
process goes on, the under sheets absorb a portion of the 
varnish, and require less than if single sheets were brushed 
separately. 

Transfer Paper — is made by rubbing white paper with 
a composition consisting of 2 oz. tallow, | oz. powdered 
black-lead, \ pint linseed oil, and sufficient lamp-black to 
make it of the consistency of cream. These should be 
melted together and rubbed on the paper while hot. When 
dry it will be fit for use. 

Alloy for Journal Boxes. — Copper 3 lbs., tin 3 lbs., 
and antimony 1 lb. Melt the copper first, then add the tin, 
and lastly the antimony. It should be first run into ingots, 
then melted and cast in the form required for the boxes. 

ATYiher, to Mend. — Smear the parts which are to be 
united with linseed oil, hold the oiled part carefully over a 
small charcoal fire, a hot cinder, or a gas-light, being care- 
ful to cover up all the rest of the object loosely with paper; 
when the oiled parts have begun to feel the heat, so as to be 
sticky, pinch or press them together, and hold them so till 
nearly cold. Only that part where the edges are to be 
united must be warmed, and even that with care, lest the 
form or poHsh of the other parts should be disturbed; the 
part joined generally requires a little re-polishing. 

Bronzing Wood. — The wood is first covered with a uni- 
form coating of glue, or of drying oil, and when nearly dry 
the bronze powder, contained in a small bag, is dusted over 
it. The surface of the object is afterward rubbed with a 



410 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

piece of moist rag, or the bronze powder may be previously- 
mixed with the drying oil, and applied with a brush. The 
bronze powder can be procured at almost any drug store, 
and at some paint stores. 

To Print a Picture from the Print Itself. — The page 
or picture is soaked in a solution, first of potassa, and then 
of tartaric acid. This produces a perfect diffusion of crystals 
of bitartarate of potassa through the texture of the unprinted 
part of the paper. As this salt resists oil, the ink roller 
may now be passed over the surface, without transferring 
any part of its contents except to the printed part. 

Hints about Screws. — Where screws are driven into 
soft wood and subjected to considerable strain, they are very 
likely to work loose, and it is often difficult to make them 
hold. In such cases the use of glue is profitable. Prepare 
the glue thick, immerse a stick about half the size of the 
screw and put it into the hole, then immerse the screw, and 
drive it home as quickly as possible. When there is an 
article of furniture to be hastily repaired, and no glue is at 
hand, bore a hole, insert the stick, fill the rest of the cavity 
with pulverized resin, then heat the screw sufficiently to melt 
the resin as it is driven in. Where screws are driven into 
wood for temporary purposes, they can be more easily re- 
moved by dipping them in oil before inserting. When buy- 
ing screws, notice that the heads are sound and well cut, 
that there are no flaws in the body or thread part, and that 
they have gimlet points. A screw of good make will drive 
into oak as easily as others into pine, and wUl endure having 
twice the force brought against it. 

To Make Putty. — Mix a quantity of whiting into a very 
stiff paste with linseed oil, rubbing and beating it well before 



MISCELLANEOUS BEGIPES. 411 

using. For particular purposes, as for fanlights, iron-framed 
green-houses, and other places where the lap or hold is very 
narrow, a little white-lead may be added to advantage. 
Colored putty has a mixture of red ochre, lamp-black, or 
other color with the whiting. 

To Make Sealing-Wax. — Red. Take 1 lb. of yellow 
resin, 5| oz. of gum lac, 5^ oz. of Venice turpentine, and 1 
oz. of vermilion. Melt the lac in a copper pan suspended 
over a clear fire, add the resin, pour the turpentine slowly 
in, aiid soon afterward add the vermilion, stirring the mixt- 
ure aU the time. Form either into round sticks by roUing 
it out on a smooth stone slab by means of a wooden board, 
or into oval sticks by casting it into stone molds made in 
two pieces. 

Black sealing-wax is made by substituting either lamp- 
black or ivory-black in the above recipe. 

Cleaning Harness, or Saddles and Bridles. — If harness, 
wash it perfectly clean with warm water and soft soap, and 
when dry, apply neat's-foot oil and black dye, mixed; mix 
them by adding a small quantity of salts of wormwood, 
when they will be well blacked and pliable. At the same 
time, by applying the oil and dye to the bottom or under 
parts of the straps, and composition to the top, they will 
always be pliable, and have a good polish on the top. If a 
riding saddle, wash in cold water and soft soap until free 
from dirt; then apply soft soap with a woolen cloth — about 
2 table-spoonfuls would be enough for a saddle — which will 
dry in. If the saddle is to have a yellow appearance, infuse 
a few cents' worth of hay saffron in about four or five table- 
spoonfuls of water, and apply before the soft soap, then rub 
on a piece of woolen cloth, or a brush, a piece of bees- wax. 



412 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

and finish the saddle off with it, rubbing till a good polish is 
obtained. 

Blacking for Harness. — 1. Molasses | lb., lamb-black 

1 oz., yeast a spoonful, sugar-candy, olive oil, gum traga- 
eanth, and isinglass, each 1 oz., and a cow's gall. Mix with 

2 pts. of stale beer, and let it stand before the fire for an 
hour. 

2. Molasses 8 parts, lamp-black 1, sweet oil 1, gum 
arable 1, isinglass 1, water 82. Apply heat to the whole; 
when cold, add 1 oz. spirits of wine, and apply with sponge. 
If it should get hard, place the bottle in warm water a short 
time. 

3. Melt 1 lb. bees-wax, stir in 4 oz. ivory-black, 2 oz, 
spirits turpentine, 2 oz. Prussian blue, ground in oil, and ^ 
oz. copal varnish. Make into balls. With a brush apply 
to harness, and polish with silk gently. 

Harness Composition. — Put into a glazed pipkin 2 oz. 
of black resin, place it on a gentle fire; when melted, add 3 
oz. of bees- wax. When this is melted, take it from the fire, 
add ^ oz. of fine lamp-black, and ^ dr. of Prussian blue in 
fine powder; stir them so as to be perfectly mixed, and add 
sufficient spirits of turp^tine to form a thin paste, let it 
cool. To use it, apply a coat with a piece of linen rag pretty 
evenly all over the harness ; then take a soft polishing brush 
and brush it over, to obtain a bright surface. 

To Destroy Bed-Bugs, Moths, and Other Vermin. — 
Dissolve alum in hot water, making a very strong solution ; 
apply to furniture or crevices in the walls with paint brush. 
This is sure destruction to those noxious vermin, and inval- 
uable because easily obtained, is perfectly safe to use, and 
leaves no unpleasant traces behind. When you suspect 



BEGIPES FOB MAKING INK. 413 

moths have lodged in the borders of carpets, wet the edges 
of the carpets with a strong solution ; whenever it reaches 
them, it is certain death. 

Black Ink, If on-Corrosive. — Digest in an open vessel 
42 oz. of coarsely-powdered nut-galls, 15 oz. of gum Senegal, 
18 oz. of sulphate of iron, copperas free from copper, 3 
dr. of aqua ammonia, 24 oz. of alcohol, and 18 qts. of dis- 
tilled or rain-water. Continue the digestion until the fluid 
has assumed a deep black color. To make less quantity, use 
less of each ingredient, but in the same proportion. For 
cheap inks other ingredients may be substituted instead of 
part of the galls; logwood, catechu, sumac, and oak-bark 
may be used for the same purpose. Many other substances, 
such as elm wood, elder, (jjliestnut, beech, willow, plum, 
cherry, and poplar, all contain a certain amount of astrin- 
gent properties, but none of them are to be compared to' 
galls, and are not likely to supercede them in the manufact- 
ure of ink so long as galls can be had for a fair price. 

A Cheap Invisible Ink. — Dissolve 1 fluid oz. of common 
oil of vitriol in a pint of soft water. Stir well and allow it 
• to cool. Write with a clean pen. "When dry it will be in- 
visible, held to the fire it turns an indellible black. 

Green Ink. — Verdigris 2 oz., cream of tartar 1 oz., 
water ^ pt., reduce one-half by boiling, and filter, using 
druggist's filtering paper. 

Blue Ink. — Chinese blue 2 oz., boiling water 1 qt., oxalic 
acid 1 oz. Dissolve the blue in the water, then add the acid, 
and it is ready at once. 

Soap-Buhbles. — Few things amuse children more than 
blowing bubbles. Dissolve I of an oz. of castile or oil soap, 
cut up in small piecas, in f of a pt. of water, and boil it for 



414 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

two or three minutes ; then add five oz. of glycerine. When 
cold, this fluid will produce the best and most lasting 
bubbles that can be blown. 

To Prevent Rusting. — 1. Boiled linseed oil will keep 
polished tools from rusting if it is allowed to dry on them. 
Common sperm oil will prevent them from rusting for a 
short period. A coat of copal varnish is frequently applied 
to polished tools exposed to the weather. "Woolen materials 
are the best for wrappers for metals. 2. Iron and steel goods 
of all descriptions are kept free from rust by the following: 
Dissolve I oz. of camphor in 1 lb. of hog's lard, take off the 
scum, and mix as much black-lead as will give the mixture 
an iron color. Iron and steel and machinery of all kinds, 
rubbed over with this mixture, and left with it on for 24 
hours, and then rubbed with a linen cloth, will keep clean 
for months. If the machinery is foir exportation it should 
be kept thickly coated with this during the voyage. 

To Prevent Lead Exploding. — Many mechanics have 
had their patience sorely tried when pouring melted lead 
around a damp or wet joint to find it explode, blow out, or 
scatter from the effects of steam generated by the heat of 
the lead. The whole trouble may be stopped by putting a 
piece of resin the size of the end of a man's thumb into the 
ladle and allowing it to melt before pouring. Simple as the 
secret is, many have paid $20 for the privilege of knowing it. 

To Repair Rubber Hose. — Cut the hose apart where it 
is defective, obtain from any gas-fitter a piece of iron pipe 
two or three inches long, twist the hose over it until the ends 
meet, wrap with strong twine, well waxed, and it will last 
a long time. 

To Keep Wagon Tires on the Wheel. — ^A practical 



THE TEMPERING SECRET. 415 

mechanic suggests a method of so putting tires on wagons 
that they will not get loose and require resetting. He says 
he ironed a wagon some years ago for his own use, and 
before putting on the tires, he filled the felloes with linseed 
oil, and the tires have worn out and were never loose. This 
method is as follows: Use a long cast-iron heater made 
for the purpose; the oil is brought to a boiling heat, the 
wheel is placed on a stick, so as to hang each felloe in the 
oil an hour. The timber should be dry, as green timber will 
not take oil. Care should be taken that the oil is not made 
hotter than a boiling heat, or the timber will be burned. 
Timber filled with oil is not susceptible of injury by water, 
and is rendered much more durable by this process. 

The United States Government Tempering Secret. — 
The following process and mixtures, patented by Garman 
and Siegfried, and owned by the Steel Refining and Tem- 
pering Co., of Boston, Mass., cost the U. S. Government 
$10,000 for the right of using in their shops, and is said to 
impart extraordinary hardness and durability to the poorest 
kinds of steel. Siegfried's specification reads as follows : — 

" I first heat the steel to a cherry red in a clean smith's 
fire, and then cover it with chloride of sodium (common 
salt), purifying the fire also by throwing in salt. I work 
the steel in this condition, and while subjected to this 
treatment, until it is brought into nearly its finished form. 
I then substitute for the salt a compound composed of the 
following ingredients, and in about the following proportions: 
One part by weight of each of the following substances: 
chloride of sodium (salt), sulphate of copper, sal-ammoniac, 
and sal-soda, together with ^ part by weight of pure nitrate 
of potassa (saltpeter), said ingredients being pulverized and 



416 OUB HOMES AND THJEIB ADORNMENTS. 

mixed ; I alternately heat the steel and treat it by covering 
with this mixture and hammering it until it is thoroughly 
refined and brought into its finished form. I then return it 
to the fire and heat it slowly to a cherry red, and then 
plunge it into a bath composed of the following ingredients, 
in substantially the following proportions for the required 
quantity: of rain-water 1 gal., alum, sal-soda, sulphate of 
copper, of each 1| oz., of nitrate of potassa (saltpeter) 1 oz., 
and of chloride of sodium (salt) 6 oz. These quantities and 
proportions are stated as being what I regard as practically 
the best, but it is manifest that they may be slightly changed 
without departing from the principles of my invention." 

U. S. Mint Test for Counterfeit Silver. — Make a solu- 
tion of 24 grs. nitrate of silver, 30 drops nitric acid, and 1 
oz. of water; scrape the coin to be tested and apply a drop 
of the liquid; if the coin turns black, reject it. 




jT tSb \ 









"§«3 



^K>^ 



I jMANUAL of aiOOKING, 



iB-^iS^^iJ;^ 




N the following pages of the " Household Com- 
pendium," will be found a most concise and val- 
uable collection of recipes and instructions for 
cooking. The experienced housewife will not be 
slow in discovering that this department is en- 
tirely reliable and trustworthy. Every recipe 
has been tested in the kitchen and found worthy 
of a place in this book. 

In order that this Manual may be more service- 
able, the following arrangement of topics has 
been made: Kitchen utensils, soups, fish, poul- 
try and game, meats, vegetables, sauces, puddings, break- 
fasts and suppers, pies, custards and creams, ices, fruits, 
candy, bread and biscuits, drinks, beverages, etc., etc. 

27 [417] 



418 



OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 



Wooden Ware. — Kitchen table, wash bench, wash tubs 
(three sizes), wash board, bosom board, bread board, towel 
roller, potato masher, wooden spoons, flour sieve, chopping 
bowl, soap bowl, pails, lemon squeezer, clothes wringer, 
clothes horse, clothes pins, clothes basket, mop, brcom, and 
wood box. 




Fig. 1 02. 

Tin Ware. — Boiler for clothes, boiler for ham, bread 
pan, two dish pans, preserving pan, four milk pans, two 
quart basins, two pint basins, two quart covered tin pails, 
one four-quart covered tin pail, sauce pans with covers (two 
sizes), two tin cups with handles, two pint molds (for rice, blanc- 



BEGIPES FOB COOKING. 419 

mange, etc.), one skimmer, two dippers (different sizes), one 
quart measure, pint and half -pint measures (they should be 
broad and low, as they are more easily kept clean), bread 
pans, two round jelly cake pans, two long pie pans, coffee 
pot, tea steeper, steamer, horse-radish grater, nutmeg grater, 
egg beater, cake turner, cake cutter, apple corer, potato cut- 
ter, flour dredge, tea canister, coffee canister, cake, bread, 
cracker, and cheese boxes, crumb tray, and dust pans. 

Iron Ware. — Range or stove, pot with steamer to fit, 
soup kettle, preserving kettle (porcelain), tea kettle, large 
and small frying pans, gem pans, iron spoons of various 
sizes, gridiron, griddle, waffle iron, toasting rack, meat fork, 
can opener, coffee mill, flat irons, hammer, tack hammer, 
screw driver, and ice pick. 

Stone Ware. — Crocks (various sizes), bowls of pint, two 
quart, four quart, and six quart, six earthen baking dishes 
of various sizes. 



s 



^. 



ou/p 

The basis of all good soups, is the broth of meat. This 
may be made by boiling the cracked joints of beef, veal, or 
mutton, and is best when cooked the day before it is to be 
eaten. After putting the meat into the pot, cover it 
with cold water and let it come to a boil, when it should be 
well skimmed. Set the meat where it will simmer slowly 
until it is thoroughly done, keeping the pot closely covered 
the while. The next day, when the soup is cold, remove the 
fat, which will harden on the top of the soup. After this, 
add the vegetables and the herbs you use for seasoning, 
cooking all well together. Before sending to the table, the 



420 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

soup should be strained. A good stock for soups may be 
made from shreds and bits of uncooked meat and bones, 
poultry, and the remains of game. When these are all put 
together and stewed down in the pot, the French term it 
consomme, and use it chiefly in the preparation of brown 
soups. 

Soups may be varied in many ways, chiefly in the kinds 
of vegetables and different seasonings used, as in herbs, 
burned caramel, eggs, or slices of bread fried to a crisp in 
butter, which impart a savory relish. 

Potato Soup. — Slice and fry to a nice brown 4 large on- 
ions in one-fourth lb. butter in a soup pot, add 4 qts. of skim- 
milk, have pealed and boiled a good 3 pts. of potatoes, mash 
them fine and reduce smooth with the milk from your soup 
pot; repeat this till all the potatoes are in the soup pot; 
just bring to a boil, and add pepper and salt to taste. 

Ox- Tail Soup. — Take 2 ox tails and 2 whole onions, 2 
carrots, 1 small turnip, 2 table-spoonfuls of flour, and a little 
white pepper, add 1 gal. water, let all boil for 2 hours; then 
take out the tails and cut the meat into small pieces, return 
the bones to the pot for a short time, boil another hour, 
then strain the soup, and rinse 2 spoonfuls of arrowroot to 
add to it with the meat cut from the bones, and let all 
boil for a quarter of an hour. 

Beef Soup. — Cut all the lean off" the shank, and with a 
little beef suet in the bottom of the kettle, fry it to a nice 
brown; put in the bones and cover with water; cover the 
kettle closely ; let it cook slowly until the meat drops from 
the bones, strain through a strainer and leave it in the dish 
during the night, which is the only way to get off all the 
fat. The day it is wanted for the table, fry as brown as 



RECIPES FOB SOUPS. 421 

possible 1 carrot, 1 onion, and 1 very small turnip sliced 
thin. Just before taking up, put in one-half tea-spoonful of 
sugar, 1 blade of mace, 6 cloves, 12 kernels of allspice, 1 
small tea-spoonful of celery seed, with the vegetables, this 
must cook slowly in the soup 1 hour, then strain again for 
the table. If you use vermicelli or pearl barley, soak in 
water. 

Mutton Soup. — BoU a leg of mutton 3 hours, season to 
your taste with salt and pepper, and add 1 tea-spoonful of 
summer savory ; make a batter of 1 egg, 2 table-spoonf uLs of 
milk, 2 table-spoonfuls of flour, all well beaten together; drop 
this batter into the soup with a spoon, and boil for 3 minutes. 

Oyster Soup. — Take 1 qt. of water, 1 tea-cupful of 
butter, 1 pt. of milk, 2 tea-spoonfuls of salt, 4 crackers rolled 
fine, and 1 tea-spoonful of pepper ; bring to full boiling heat 
as soon as possible, then add 1 qt. of oysters. Let the whole 
come to a boiling heat quickly and remove from the fire. 

Another. — Pour 1 qt. of boiling water into a skillet, 
then add 1 qt. of good rich milk, stir in 1 tea-cupful of 
rolled cracker crumbs, season with pepper and salt to taste. 
When all come to a boil, add 1 qt. of good fresh oysters; 
stir well, so as to keep from scorching, then add a piece of 
good sweet butter about the size of an egg ; let it boil up 
once, then remove from the fire immediately; dish up and 
send to table. 

Tomato Soup. — Boil chicken or beef 4 hours, then strain, 
add to the soup one can of tomatoes and boil 1 hour. This 
will make four quarts of soup. 

Vermicelli Soup. — A knuckle of lamb, a small piece of 
veal, and water to cover well ; when well cooked, season with 
salt, pepper, herbs to your taste, and a small onion, to which 



422 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

you may add Halford or Worcestershire sauce about 1 table- 
spoonful. Have ready one-fourth lb. of vermicelli, which has 
been boiled tender, strain your soup from the meat, add the 
vermicelli, let it boil well and serve. 

Tomato Soup' without Meat. — 1 qt. of tomatoes, 1 qt. 
of water, 1 qt. of milk. Butter, salt, and pepper to taste. 
Cook the tomatoes thoroughly in the water, have the milk 
scalding, (over water to prevent scorching). When the 
tomatoes are done, add 1 large tea-spoonful of saleratus, 
which will cause a violent effervescence. It is best to 
set the vessel in a pan before adding it, to prevent waste. 
When the commotion has ceased, add the milk and season- 
ing. When possible, it is best to use more milk than 
water, and cream instead of butter. The soup is eaten with 
crackers. This recipe is very valuable for those who keep 
abstinence days. 

Com Soup. — 1 small beef bone, 2 qts. of water, 4 toma- 
toes, 8 ears of corn ; let the meat boU a short time in the 
water, cut the corn from the cob and put in the cobs with 
the cut corn and tomatoes ; let it boil about half an hour, 
remove the cobs; just before serving add the milk, which 
should be allowed to boil for a few moments only ; season 
"with salt and pepper. 

Bean Soup. — 1 pt. of beans, 4 qts. of water, small piece 
of fat beef, boil 3 hours and strain. If too thin add 1 table- 
spoonful of flour. 

Noodles for Soup. — Rub into 2 eggs as much sifted 
flour as they will absorb, then roll out until thin as a wafer, 
dust over a little flour, and then roll over and over into a 
roll, cut off thin slices from the edge of the roll and shake 
out into long strips, put them into the soup lightly and boil 



HOJV TO COOK FISH. 423 

for ten minutes, salt should be added while mixing with the 
flour, — about a salt-spoonful. 



Fish are good when the gills are red, eyes are full, and 
the body of the fish is firm and stifi! After washing them 
well, they should be allowed to remain for a short time in 
salt water sufficient to cover them. Before cooking, wipe 
them dry, dredge lightly with flour, and season with salt 
and pepper. Salmon-trout and other small fish are usually 
fried or broiled ; all large fish should be put in a cloth, tied 
closely with twine, and placed in cold water, when they may 
be put over the fire to boil. When fish are baked, prepare 
them the same as for boiling, and put in the oven on a 
wire gridiron, over a dripping-pan. 

Boiled White Fish. — Lay the fish open, put it in a 
dripping-pan with the back down, nearly cover with water. 
To one fish add 2 table-spoonfuls of salt, cover tightly and 
simmer (not boil) one-half hour, dress with gravy, butter, 
and pepper, garnish with sliced eggs. For sauce, use a piece 
of butter the size of an egg, 1 table-spoonful of flour, one-half 
pt. of boiling water; boil a few minutes, and add 3 hard- 
boiled eggs, sliced. 

Sauce for Boiled Fish. — To 1 tea-cupful of milk add 
1 tea-cupful of water, put it on the fire to scald, and when 
hot stir in 1 table-spoonful of flour, previously wet with cold 
water; add 2 or 3 eggs, season with salt and pepper, a little 
celery, vinegar, and 3 table-spoonfuls of butter. Boil 4 or 
5 eggs hard, take ofi" the shells, and cut in slices, and lay 
over the dish. Then pour over the sauce and serve. 



424 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

Baked Black Bass. — 8 good-sized onions chopped fine, 
half that quantity of bread crumbs, butter size of hen's egg, 
plenty of pepper and salt, mix thoroughly with anchovy 
sauce until quite red. Stuff your fish with this compound 
and pour the rest over it, previously sprinkling it with a 
little red pepper. Shad, pickerel, and trout are good, cooked 
in the same way. Tomatoes can be used instead of an- 
chovies, and are more economical. If using them, take pork 
in place of butter and chop fine. 

Broiled White Fish. — Wash and drain the fish, sprinkle 
with pepper and lay with the inside down upon the gridiron, 
and broil over fresh bright coals. When a nice brown, turn 
for a moment on the other side, then take up and spread 
with butter. This is a very nice way of broiling all kinds 
of fish, fresh or salted. A little smoke under the fish adds 
to its flavor. This may be made by putting two or three 
cobs under the gridiron. 

Uels. — Skin and parboil them, cleanse the back bone of 
all coagulations, cut them in pieces about 3 inches in length, 
dip in flour, and cook in pork fat; brown. 

Salt Mackerel. — Soak the fish for a few hours in luke- 
warm water, changing the water several times; then put 
into cold water, loosely tied in cloths, and let the fish come 
to a boil, turning off the water once, and pouring over the 
fish hot water from the tea-kettle; let this just come to a 
boil, then take them out and drain them, lay them on a 
platter, butter and pepper them, and place them for a few 
moments in the oven. Serve with sliced lemons, or with 
any nice fish sauce. 

Baked Halibut or Salmon. — Let the fish remain in 
cold water, slightly salted, for an hour before it is time to 



HOW TO COOK 0YSTL:>.S. 425 

cook it, place the gridiron on a dripping-pan with a little 
hot water in it, and bake ih a hot oven ; j ust before it Is done, 
butter it well on the top, and brown it nicely. The time of 
baking depends upon the size of the fish. A small fish will 
bake in about half an hour, and a large one m an hour. 
They are very nice when cooked as above and served with 
a sauce which is made from the gravy in the dripprng-pan, 
to which is added a table-spoonful of catsup and another of 
some pungent sauce and the juice of a lemon. Thicken 
with brown flour moistened with a little cold water. Gar- 
nish handsomely with sprigs of parsley and current jelly. 

Oyster Patties. — Make some rich pufF paste and bake it 
in very small tin patty-pans ; when cool, turn them out upon a 
large dish ; stew some large fresh oysters with a few cloves, 
a little mace, and nutmeg; then add the yolk of one egg, 
boiled hard and grated; add a little butter and as much of 
the oyster liquor as wUl cover them. When they have 
stewed a little while, take them out of the pan and set 
them to cool. When quite cold, lay two or three oysters in 
each shell of pufi" paste. 

Stewed Oysters. — Drain the liquor from 2 qts. of firm, 
plump oysters, mix with one small tea-cupful of hot water, 
add a little salt and pepper, and set over a fire in a sauce- 
pan. When it boils, add 1 large cupful of rich milk. Let 
it boil up once, add the oysters, and let it boil 5 minutes. 
When they ruffle add 2 table-spoonfuls of butter, and the 
instant it is melted and weU stirred in, take off the fire. 

Broiled Oysters. — Drain the oysters well and dry them 
with a napkin. Have ready a griddle hot and well-but- 
tered, season the oysters, lay them on the griddle and brown 
them on both sides. Serve them on a hot plate with plenty 
of butter. 



426 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

Oysters a la Creme. — 1 qt. of oysters, 1 pt. of cream; put 
the oysters in a double kettle, cook until the milk juice begins 
to flow out, drain the oysters in a strainer. Put the cream 
on the same way; when it comes to a boil, thicken with 
flour wet with milk as thick as corn starch ready to mold ; 
then put in the oysters and cook 5 minutes. Serve hot on 
toast. 

Escaloped Oysters. — Butter the dish, (common earthen 
pie plates are the best), cover the bottom of the dish with 
very fine bread crumbs; add a layer of oysters; season 
with pepper and salt; alternate the crumbs and oysters 
until you have three layers; finish with crumbs; cover the 
top with small pieces of butter ; finish around the edge with 
bread cut into small oblong pieces dipped in butter; bake 
half an hour; unless shell oysters, wash them thoroughly 
and strain. 

To Fry Oysters. — Use the largest and best oysters; lay 
them in rows upon a clean cloth and press another upon 
them, to absorb the moisture; have ready several beaten 
eggs, and in another dish some finely crushed crackers; in 
the frying-pan heat enough butter to entirely cover the oys- 
ters; dip the oysters first into the eggs, then into the crack- 
ers, rolling them over that they may become well in- 
crusted; drop into the frying-pan, and fry quickly to a 
light brown. Serve dry and let the dish be warm. A 
chafing dish is best. 

Stewed Tripe. — Select 2 lbs. of double tripe well 
cleaned and i blanched, cut in pieces of rather less than a 
quarter of a pound each, put in a. clean stew-pan with 1 pt. 
of milk, and one of water, 2 tea-spoonfuls of salt, 1 tea- 
spoonful of pepper, 8 middle-sized onions carefully peeled; 



HOW TO COOK POULTRY AND GAME. 427 

set it on to boil, which it should do at first rather fast, then 
simmer till done, which will be in rather more than half an 
hour. Put it into a deep dish or tureen, and serve with the 
milk and onions. 



When poultry is brought into the kitchen for use, it 
should be kept as cool as possible. The best position in 
which to place it is with the breast downward on a shelf 
or marble slab. The crop should be taken out. Choose 
fowls with a thin, transparent skin, white and delicate. 
Time required to boil poultry : a chicken will take about 20 
minutes, a fowl about 40 minutes, a small turkey 1^ hours, 
a large turkey 2 hours or more. 

Preparation of Hashes, Gravies, and Sauces. — There is 
nothing worse for the health or for the palate than a poor 
hash, while a good hash is not only a favorite dish in most 
families, but an essential article of economy and convenience. 
For this reason a separate article is devoted to this subject. 
The following are the ways in which hashes are spoiled. 
The first is by cooking them. Meat, when once cooked, 
should only be heated. If it is again stewed or fried, it tends 
to make it hard or tough, and diminishes its flavor. The 
second is by frying the butter or gravy in which they are 
prepared. It has been shown that this is very injurious to 
the healthfulness of food. Butter and oils may be melted 
without changing their nature, but when cooked, they be- 
come much more indigestible and injurious to weak stom- 
achs. The third mode of injuring hashes is by putting in 
flour in such ways that it is not properly cooked. Flour 



428 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

dredged on to hashes whiPS they are cooking imparts the 
raw taste of dough. The fourth mode is by putting in 
so much water as to make them vapid, or else so much 
grease as to make them gross. The fifth is by seasoning 
them with so httle care, that they either have very Kttle 
savory taste, or else are so hot with pepper and spice as to 
be unhealthy. If the housekeeper will observe these cau- 
tions, or see that her cook does so, she may always have good 
and healthful hashes. 

Boiled Fowl. — Take a young fowl and fill the inside 
with oysters ; place in a jar and plunge into a kettle of 
water; boil 1|- hours; there will be a quantity of gravy in 
the jar from the juice of the fowl, and the oysters; make 
this into a white sauce, with the addition of egg, cream, or 
a little flour and butter ; add oysters, or serve up plain with 
the fowl. This is very nice with the addition of a little pars- 
ley to the sauce. 

Roast Turkey or Chicken. — Having picked and drawn 
the fowls, wash them well in two or three waters; wipe 
them dry ; dredge them with a little flour inside and out, 
and a little pepper and salt; prepare a dressing of bread and 
cracker crumbs, fill the bodies and crops of the fowls and 
then bake them from 2 to 3 hours ; baste them frequently 
while roasting ; stew the giblets in a saucepan; just before 
serving, chop the giblets fine; after taking up the chicken 
and the water in which the giblets were boiled, add the 
chopped giblets to the gravy of the roast fowl; thicken with 
a little flour, which has been previously wet with the water ; 
boil up and serve in a gravy-dish. Roast chicken and tur- 
key should be accompanied with celery and jellies. 

To Boil a Turkey. — Make a stufiing for the craw of 



HOW TO COOK POULTRY AND GAME. 429 

chopped bread and butter, cream, oysters, and the yolks of 
eggs ; sew it in, and dredge flour over the turkey, and put it 
to boil in cold water, with a spoonful of salt in it, and enough 
water to cover it well; let it simmer for 2| hours, or if 
small, less time; skim it while boiling. It looks nicer if 
wrapped in a cloth dredged with flour; serve it with drawn 
butter, in which put some oysters. 

Roast Chickens. — Wash them clean outside and inside, 
stuff as directed for turkeys, and baste with butter, lard, 
or drippings, and roast them about an hour. Chickens 
should be cooked thoroughly. Stew the inwards till tender 
and till there is but little water, chop them and mix in 
gravy from the dripping-pan, thicken with brown flour, 
season with salt, pepper, and butter. Cranberry or new- 
made apple sauce is good with them. 

Baked Chicken. — Cut the fowl open and lay it flat 
in a pan, breaking down the breast and the back bones, 
dredge with flour and season well with , salt and pepper 
and bits of butter; put in a very hot oven until done, bast- 
ing frequently with melted butter, or when half done take 
out the chicken and finish by broiling it upon a gridiron 
over bright coals; pour over it melted butter and the juices- 
in the pan in which it was baked. 

Dressing for Chicken or Turkey. — Chop bread crambs 
quite fine, season well with pepper, salt, and plenty of 
butter, moisten with a very little water, and add a few 
oysters with a little of the liquor, if you please. The best 
authorities say the dressing is the finest when it crumbles as 
the fowl is cut. 

Dressing for Turkey. — One pint of soaked bread, 2 
table-spoonfuls of sage, 2 table-spoonfuls of summer savory. 



430 OUR HOMES AND THEIR A DORNMENTS. 

2 tea-spoonfuls of salt, 2 tea-spoonfuls of pepper, butter the 
size of an egg. 

Fried Chicken. — Cut the chicken in pieces, lay it in salt 
and water, changing the water several times, roll each piece 
in flour, fry in very hot lard or butter, season with salt and 
pepper, fry parsley with it also. Make a gravy of cream 
seasoned with salt, pepper, and a little mace, thickened with 
a little flour in the pan in which the chicken was fried, pour- 
ing off the lard. 

Curry. — To make curry with rabbit, chicken, or any 
other meat, flour the meat and fry it a nice light brown, fry 
also 2 large onions in the same way, mix a table-spoonful of 
curry powder, and a small quantity of cayenne in a tea-cup, 
with warm water, to the consistency of cream, and cover 
every part of the meat with the mixture; have ready some 
nice stock or thin gravy, put all together in a stew-pan, and 
let it stew gently 20 minutes ; before serving, slice 2 or 3 
apples, let them stew away ; this addition is thought to be a 
great improvement as it makes the curry milder. Some 
rice should be boiled very dry and served around the dish. 

CJiicken Pie. — Stew chickens until tender, line the sides 
of a deep pie dish with nice pastry, put in the chicken and 
the water in which it has boiled (which should be but half a 
pint), season with a large piece of butter, salt, and pepper, 
and then cover loosely with crust. While this is baking, 
have ready a quart can of fine oysters, put on the fire 1 pt. 
of rich milk (or the liquor of the oysters will do), let it come 
to a boil, thicken with a little flour, and season with butter, 
pepper, and salt; pour this over the oysters boiling hot; and 
about fifteen minutes before the pie is done, lift the crust 
and pour the oysters and all into the pie, then return to the 
oven to finish. 



HOW TO COOK POULTBY AND GAME. 431 

To Roast Wild Fowl. — Put an onion, salt, and hot water 
into a pan, and baste for 10 or 15 minutes; change the 
pan, put in a slice of salt pork, and baste with butter and 
pork dripping's very often, just before serving dredge lightly 
with flour and baste. Ducks take from 25 to 35 minutes to 
roast, and woodcocks and snipes 15 to 25. Do not draw or 
take off the heads of either. Garnish with fried or toasted 
bread, lemon, parsley, and currant jelly. 

Ducks. — When roasted, use dressing as for turkey, with 
the addition of a few slices of onion. Many cooks lay over 
the game slices of onion, which take away the fishy flavor, 
removing the onion before serving. Make a sauce with the 
drippings in the pan in which the game is roasted, and to 
which are put the chopped giblets, being previously well 
cooked; thicken the gravy with brown flour, moistened with 
water. Serve with currant jelly. 

Prairie Chickens, Partridges, and Quails. — Clean 
nicely, using a little soda in the water in which they are 
washed, rinse them and dry, and then fill them with dressing, 
sewing them up nicely, binding down the legs and wings 
with cords. Put them in a steamer over hot water, and let 
them cook until just done. Then place them in a pan with a 
little butter, set them in the oven and baste them frequently 
with melted butter until of a nice brown. They ought to 
brown nicely in about 15 minutes. Serve them on a platter, 
with sprigs of parsley alternating with currant jelly. 

Quail on Toast. — After the birds are nicely cleaned, 
cut them open down the back, salt and pepper them, and 
dvedge with flour. Break down the breast and back bones, 
so they will lie flat, and place them in a pan with very little 
water and butter in a hot oven, covering them up tightly 



432 OUB HOMES AND TREIR ADORNMENTS. 

until nearly done. Then place them in a spider in hot butter, 
and fry a moment to a nice brown. Have ready slices of 
baker's bread, toasted and slightly buttered upon a platter. 
The toast should be broken down with a carving knife so 
that it will be tender. On this place the quail, make a 
sauce of the gravy in the pan, thicken slightly with browned 
flour, and pour over each quail and the toast. 

Pigeon Pie. — Make a fine puff paste, lay a border of it 
around a large dish, and cover the bottom with a veal cutlet, 
or a very tender steak free from fat and bone, season with 
salt, cayenne pepper, and mace. Prepare as many pigeons 
as can be put in one layer of the dish, put in each pigeon a 
small lump of butter, and season with pepper and salt; lay 
them in the dish breast downward, and cut in slices half a 
dozen of hard boiled eggs, and lay in with the birds ; put in 
more butter, some veal broth, and cover the whole with 
crust. Bake slowly 1-| hours. 

All salt meat should be put on in cold water, that the 
salt may be extracted while cooking. Fresh meat, which 
is boiled to be served with sauces at the table, sliould be put 
to cook in boiling water; when the outer fibere contract, the 
inner juices are preserved. 

For making soup, put the meat over in cold water, to 
extract the juices for the broth. 

In boiling meats, if more water is needed, add that which 
is hot, and be careful to keep the water on the meat con- 
stantly boiling. 



HOW TO COOK MEATS. 433 

Remove the scum when it first begins to boil. Tlie more 
gently meat boils, the ixiore tender it will become. Allow 
twenty minutes for boiling each pound of fresh meat. 

Roast meats require a brisk fire. Baste often. Twenty 
minutes is required for roasting each pound of fresh meat. 
The variation in roasted meats consists simply in the method 
of preparing them to cook, before putting them in the oven. 
Some are to be larded, some stuffed with bread dressins\ and 
others plain, only seasoning with pepper and salt. 

A piece of red pepper, cooked in a boiled dinner, is very 
nice. 

Roast Beef. — Prepare for the oven by dredging lightly 
with flour, and seasoning with salt and pepper ; place m the 
oven, and baste frequently while roasting. Allow a quarter 
of an hour for a pound of meat, if you like it rare ; longer if 
you like it M^ell done. Serve with a sauce, made from the 
drippings in the pan, to which has been added 1 table- 
spoonful of Halford or Worcestershire sauce and 1 table- 
spoonful of tomato catsup. 

Beefsteak and MushrooTns. — Put in a saucepan 1 oz. of 
butter, 1 small onion chopped fine, a little ground sage, and 
a little thyme, and put it over the fire ; when hot, shake in 
2 table-spoonfuls of flour, and when it becomes brown, put 
in 1 gill of water, and let it boil for half an hour. Then 
add 3 table-spoonfuls of beef stock, a little salt, a little nut- 
meg and one wine-glass of sherry wine. Put in one can of 
mushrooms, and let it boil for 10 minutes. Pour this over 
a nicely broiled beefsteak. 

To Boil Corned Beef. — Put the beef in water enough 
to cover it, and let it heat slowly and boil slowly, and be 
careful to take off the grease. Many think it much im- 

28 



434 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

proved by boiling potatoes, turnips, and cabbages witb it. 
In this case the vegetables must be peeled and all the grease 
carefully skimmed as fast as it rises. Allow about 20 min- 
utes of boiling for each pound of meat. 

To Cook a Ham. — Boil a common-sized ham 4 or 5 
hours, then skin the whole and fit it for the table. Set 
it in an oven for half an hour, then cover it thickly with 
pOfunded rusk or bread crumbs, and set it back for half an 
hour. Boiled ham is always improved by setting it into an 
oven for nearly an hour, till much of the fat fries out; 
this also makes it more tender. 

Spiced Beef. — 4 lbs. of round of beef chopped fine, all 
fat being removed ; add 3 doz. small crackers rolled fine, 4 
eggs, 1 cup of milk, 1 table-spoonful of ground mace, 2 table- 
spoonfuls of black pepper, 1 table-spoonful of melted butter; 
mix well and put in any tin pan that it will just fill, pack- 
ing it well ; baste with butter and water, and bake 2 hours 
in a slow oven. 

To Corn Beef. — To each gallon of cold water, put 1 qt. 
rock salt, 1 oz. salt-petre and 4 oz. brown sugar, (it need 
not be boiled), as long as any salt remains undissolved, the 
meat will be sweet. If any scum should rise, scald and 
skim well; add more salt, salt-petre, and sugar; as you put 
each piece of meat into the brine, rub over with salt. If 
the weather is hot, gash the meat to the bone, and put it in 
salt. Put a flat stone or some weight on the meat to keep 
it under the brine. 

Pickled Pork Equal to Fresh. — Let the meat cool thor- 
oughly, cut into pieces four to six inches wide, weigh them, 
and pack as tight as possible, salting lightly. Cover the 
meat with brine as strong as possible. Next day pour off 



HOW TO COOK MEATS. 435 

a gallon of the brine and mix with it a table-spoonful of 
salt-peter for every hundred pounds of meat, and return it 
to the barrel. Let it stand one month, take out the meat 
and let it drain 12 hours. Put the brine into an iron kettle, 
add 1 qt. molasses or 2 lbs. sugar, and boil till clear. When 
cold return the meat to the barrel and pour on the brine. 
Cover it close, and you will have the sweetest meat you ever 
tasted. 

Mutton Chops. — Cut them nicely, clearing away all 
ragged ends and edges; fry for a few moments covered 
closely, and then dip each piece in cracker crumbs and 
beaten egg, or you may prepare them as for frying; then, 
lay them in a dripping-pan, and put into the oven to bake; 
baste frequently with a little melted butter and water. 

Roast Veal. — Prepare a leg of veal for the oven by 
washing, drying, and larding it with strips of fat bacon or 
ham, and dredging it well with flour, and seasoning with 
salt and pepper ; baste frequently and serve with the gravy 
thickened. A roast fiUet of veal should be prepared by 
stuffing it with bread crumbs, seasoned with chopped ham, 
summer savory, pepper and salt. Dredge lightly with flour 
and bake. 

Fried Calf's Liver. — Cut in thin slices, wash and 
drain, roll them in corn meal or cracked crumbs, and 
fry in fresh or salt pork gravy or butter. 

To Cook Sliced Ham. — Cut raw ham in slices, soak in 
scalding water half an hour, lay your slices in a frying-pan, 
pepper each, and lay on each slice a little made mustard; 
pour in half a tea-spoonful of vinegar to each slice; fry 
quickly, turn often. When done take out, serve on a dLsh, 
add to the gravy 1 spoonful of wine, (if you have any 



436 OUE HOMES AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

handy), and 1 tea-spoonful of sugar. Boil up once, pour 
over your ham, and serve. 

Baked Hafn. — Most persons boil ham. It is much bet- 
ter baked, if baked right. Soak it for an hour in clean 
water and wipe it dry, next spread it all over with thin 
batter, and then put it into a deep dish with sticks under it 
to keep it out of the gravy. When it is fully done and the 
batter crusted on the flesh side, take off the skin and set it 
away to cool. 

To Boil Ham. — Wash and scrape the ham clean; put it 
on in cold water enough to cover it; put into the water 2 
onions, 2 carrots, a head of celery, a dozen cloves and a 
handful of timothy hay ; boil without stopping until the skin 
will readily peel from the ham ; cover the ham with rolled 
crackers, or bread crumbs that have been browned and 
rolled, and bake in a slow oven for 2 hours. 

Chicken Salad. — Three chickens chopped fine, both light 
and dark meat, the juice of two lemons, 8 or 10 eggs boiled 
hard, the whites chopped fine and the yolks mashed fine, 
moisten with 6 tea-spoonfuls melted butter, 2 tea-spoonfuls 
sweet oil; to which add 1 table-spoonful of mustard, 1 of 
pepper, 1 of salt, 1 of sugai', 3 of cream; and last, add 6 
large bunches of celery chopped fine, with sufficient vinegar 
to moisten the whole. 

Chicken Salad, I^o. '2. — Boil one chicken tender, then 
take the meat and chop up, take 2 table-spoonfuls of mus- 
tard, 3 eggs boiled hard, chop the whites with the chickens, 
tub the yolks up fine with the mustard, 1 table-spoonful of 



SALADS, SAUCES, AND PICKLES. 437 

salt, 3 table-spoonfuls melted butter, 1 table-spoonful black 
pepper, vinegar enough to moisten it, chop 3 heads of celery 
to one chicken, mix all together and serve. 

Fish Salad. — Boil tender a white-fish or trout; chop 
fine; add same quantity chopped celery, cabbage, or lettuce; 
season same as chicken salad. 

Cabbage Salad. — First prepare the cabbage by letting it 
stand for some time in cold water, in order to make it crisp ; 
dry well and shave as finely as possible. Choose a firm, 
white cabbage. Dressing: Rub together a piece of butter 
the size of a walnut, and 1 table-spoonful of flour; stir in 2 
table-spoonfuls of viuegar, and scald for 1 minute; then add 
the yolk of 1 egg (beaten) and two table-spoonfuls of 
cream ; salt and pepper to taste. 

Salad Dressing. — The yolk of 4 eggs, two-thirds of a 
cup of oil, red pepper, salt and mustard to taste, the juice of 
2 lemons, and last of all, 1 cup of thick cream. If the 
dressing is for chicken salad, use the oil or fat from the 
chicken instead of sweet oil. Be sure and put the cream in 
last, just before sendmg to the table. 

3Iint Sauce. — Mix 1 table-spoonful of white sugar to 
half a tea-cup of good vinegar ; add the mint and let it in- 
fuse for half an hour in a cool place before sending to the 
table. Serve with roast lamb or mutton. 

Celery Sauce. — Mix 2 table-spoonfuls of flour with half 
a tea-cup of butter ; have ready a pint of boiling milk ; stir 
the flour and butter into the milk ; take 3 heads of celery, 
cut into small bits, and boil for a few minutes in water, 
then strain it off"; put the celery into the melted butter, and 
keep it stirred over the fire for 5 or 10 minutes. This is 
very nice with boiled fowl or turkey. 



438 OUB SOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

Egg Sauce. — Take the yolks of 2 eggs boiled hard; 
mash them with 1 tea-spoonful of mustard, a little pepper 
and salt, 3 table-spoonfuls of vinegar, and 3 of sweet oil. A 
table-spoonful of catsup improves this for some. Nice for 
boiled fish. 

Tomato Sauce. — 36 ripe tomatoes, 6 green peppers, 2 
onions chopped fine, 2 cups of sugar, 2 table-spoonfuls of salt, 
2 tea-spoonfuls of ground cloves, 2 tea-spoonfuls of mustard, 
2 tea-spoonfuls of cinnamon, and 2 cups of vinegar; boil half 
a day. 

Fish Sauce. — ^ lb. of fresh butter, 1 table-spoonful of 
finely chopped parsley, a little salt and pepper, and the juice 
of 2 lemons. Cream the butter; mix all well together, 
adding at the least 1 tea-spoonful of mayonaise. Less lemon 
j uice may be used if preferred. 

ToTYiato Mustard. — 1 peck of ripe tomatoes; boil with 
2 onions, 6 red peppers, and 4 cloves of garlic, for 1 hour; 
then add one-half pt. or one-half lb. salt, 3 table-spoonfuls 
black pepper, one-half oz. ginger, one-half oz. allspice, 
one-half oz. mace, one-half oz. cloves; then boil again for 

1 hour longer, and when cold add 1 pt. vinegar and one- 
quarter pound of mustard; and if you like it very hot, a 
table-spoonf lil of cayenne. 

Horse-Radish Sauce. — 2 tea-spoonfuls of made mustard, 

2 of white sugar, one-half tea-spoonful of salt, and a gill of 
vinegar; mix and pour over grated horse-radish. Excellent 
with beef. 

French Pudding Sauce. — Beat 4 oz. butter to a 
cream; stir in one-quarter oz. brown sugar; add the yolk 
of 1 Qgg and 1 gill of wine; put it on the stove, stirring all 
the time till it simmers. Grate nutmeg over it before send- 
ing it to the table. 



SALADS, SAUCES, AND PICKLES. 439 

Tomato Catsup. — Boil the tomatoes until quite soft, and 
rub them well through a sieve; to every quart add 2 oz. 
shalots and large red peppers, or 1 tea-spoonful cayenne pep- 
per, 1 oz. bruised ginger, 1 spoonful salt, a few cloves; 
boil until reduced one-third; 10 minutes before taking off 
the fire add one-half pt. of vinegar to each quart. 

Pickled Cherries. — 5 lbs. of cherries, stoned or not, 1 qt. 
of vinegar, 2 lbs. of sugar, one-half oz. of cinnamon, one- 
half oz. of cloves, one-half oz. of mace; boil the sugar and 
vinegar and spices together, (grind the spices and tie them 
in a muslin bag), and pour hot over the cherries. 

Spiced Currants to he Eaten with Meats. — 4 qts. cur- 
rants, 1 pt. of vinegar, 3 lbs. of sugar, 1 table-spoonful cin- 
namon, 1 of allspice, 1 of cloves, 1 of nutmeg; cook 1 hour; 
keep in a cool place, tightly covered. 

Green-Tomato Pickles. — Cut one-half pk. of green 
tomatoes and 6 large onions into thin slices ; let them remain 
in salt and water over night; then pour off the brine and 
put them in a preserving kettle with 4 table-spoonfuls of 
sugar, 4 of the best mustard, two tea-spoonfuls of grouiiid 
cloves, 2 of cinnamon, 1 of cayenne pepper, and one of 
curry powder, and let them simmer for 1 hour ; then put 
them in stone or glass jars. 

Pickled Cabbage. — Select solid heads, slice very fine, put 
into ajar, cover with boiling water; when cold, drain off 
the water, and season with grated horse-radish, salt, equal 
parts of black and red pepper, cinnamon, and cloves whole ; 
cover with strong vinegar. This is convenient and always 
good. 

Spiced Tomatoes. — To 4 lbs. of large red tomatoes, take 
2 lbs. of good brown sugar, 1 pt. of cider vinegar, one-half 



440 OUE HOMES AND THE IB ADORNMENTS. 

oz. cloves, and one-half oz. of stick cinnamon; stew all to- 
gether in a preserving kettle until the tomatoes are cooked; 
take the tomatoes out and put them on dishes to cool, letting 
the syrup go on simmering slowly ; when the tomatoes are 
cold, return them to the syrup for a little while; let them 
become cold before putting them into the jars. The syrup 
must be boiled down as thick as molasses, and poured cold 
over the tomatoes; tie them down with bladder or waxed 
paper. 

Chow Chow. — 2 qts. tomatoes, 2 white onions, one-half 
doz. green peppers, 1 doz. cucumbers, 2 heads of cabbage, 
all chopped fine ; let this stand over night ; sprinkle a tea- 
cup of salt in it. In the morning drain off the brine, and 
season with 1 table-spoonful celery seed, 1 oz. turmeric, one- 
half tea-spoonful cayenne pepper, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 oz. 
cinnamon, 1 oz. allspice, 1 oz. black pepper, one fourth oz. 
cloves, vinegar enough to cover ; boil 2 hours. 

Ripe Tomato Pickles. — To 7 lbs. of ripe tomatoes add 
3 lbs. sugar, 1 qt. vinegar; boil them together 15 minutes; 
skim out the tomatoes and boil the syrup a few minutes 
longer; spice to suit the taste with cloves and cinnamon. 

Tomatoes Whole for Winter Use. — Fill a large stone 
jar with ripe tomatoes, then add a few whole cloves and a 
little sugar ; cover them well with one-half cold vinegar and 
one-half water; place a piece of flannel over the jar, well 
down into the vinegar, then tie down with paper. I have 
kept tomatoes in this way the year round, and can cheer- 
fully recommend them. Should mildew collect on the flan- 
nel it will not injure the tomatoes in the least. 

Pickled Oysters. — Wash the oysters and scald them in 
strong salt and water; skim them out and throw into cold 



EELI8HE8. 441 

"water; scald whole peppers well in vinegar ; let it get cold. 
Put the oysters in a stone jar; make liquor to cover them of 
the water they were scalded in, and vinegar. A cup of vine- 
gar to one quart liquor, to be used cold. 

Scrambled Eggs. — Beat up 6 eggs with 2 oz. of butter, 
1 table-spoonful of cream of new milk, a little chopped pars- 
ley, and salt ; put all in a saucepan, and keep stirring over 
the fire until it begins to thicken, when it should be imme- 
diately dished on buttered toast. 

French Toast. — To 1 egg thoroughly beaten, put 1 
cup of sweet milk and a little salt. Slice light bread, and 
dip into the mixture, allowing each slice to absorb some of 
the milk, then brown on a hot buttered griddle, spread with 
butter, and serve hot. 

Breakfast Steak. — A nice steak of beef or veal; pound it, 
if tough, with a steak mallet ; lay in a baking tin, dredge it 
lightly with flour, season with salt and pepper, and, if you 
like, a little chopped parsley ; then put into the oven and 
bake for 20 or 30 minutes, or until sufficiently well done; 
put it on the platter, spread with butter. Dredge ink) the 
juices of the meat in the baking pan a little flour, and sea- 
son with butter; let this boil up and pour over the steak. 
This is very nice. 

A Nice Breakfast Dish. — Mince cold beef or lamb; if 
beef, put in a pinch of pulverized cloves ; if lamb, a pinch 
of summer savory to season it, very little pepper and some 
salt, and put it into a baking dish ; mash potatoes and mix 
them with cream and butter and a little salt, and spread 



442 OUB BOMBS AND THEIB ADORNMENTS. 

them over the meat; beat up an e^g with cream or milk, a 
very little; spread it over the potatoes, and bake it a short 
time, sufficient to warm it through and brown the potatoes. 

Rice Calces. — 1 tea-cup of soft boiled rice, the yolk of 
1 egg, a pinch of salt, 2 table-spoonfuls of sifted flour, beaten 
well, and seasoned with salt, pepper, and gravy ; lay pie crust 
round the edge of the platter, and cover the same; bake a 
nice brown in the oven. 

To Stew Mushrooms. — Peel them and put them to stew 
in some milk till tender; when sufficiently done, add to them 
some butter and flour mixed together, a little cayenne, and 
some salt; part cream instead of milk will improve them. 

Excellent Omelet. — 6 eggs, whites and yolks beaten sep- 
arately; one-half pint of milk, 6 tea-spoonfuls of corn 
starch, 1 tea-spoonful of baking powder, and a little salt; 
add the whites, beaten to a stiff" froth, last; cook in a little 
butter. 

Cheese Scollop. — Soak 1 cup of dry bread crumbs in 
fresh milk. Beat into this 3 eggs ; add 1 table-spoonful of 
butter and one-half pound of grated cheese ; strew upon the 
top sifted bread crumbs, and bake in the oven a delicate 
brown. An excellent relish when eaten with thin slices of 
bread and butter. 

White Corn Bread. — 1 pt. of meal thoroughly scalded 
with hard boiling water ; butter the size of an egg, and 1 
well-beaten egg; add milk to make it just thin enough to 
flow over the pan. Have the batter an inch thick, and then 
bake. 



PUDDINGS. 443 



2l4^^bi44^. 



Suet Puddings. — 2 cups of chopped suet, 2 of raisins, ff^ 
of molasses, 4 of flour, 1 of milk, 3 tea-spoonfuls of baking- 
powder; boU 3| hours; eat while hot. Sauce for same: 1 
cup of sugar, one-half cup of butter, 1 egg, 1 table-spoonful 
of wine or vinegar; beat 15 minutes and heat to a scald, 

English Fruit Pudding. — 1 lb. currants, 1 lb. stoned 
raisins, 1 lb. sugar, 1 lb. suet, 2 lbs. grated or soaked bread, 6 
eggs, one-half tea-spoonful saleratus, 1 tea-spoonful salt, and 
1 grated nutmeg; crumb the soft part of the bread fine; soak 
the crust with boUing milk, or water will do; beat up the 
eggs and put all together, mix thoroughly with the hands; 
take a square piece of cotton cloth and lay it in a tin pan, 
put the pudding into the cloth and tie down close; put into 
a pot of boiling water, and boil 5 hours; as the water boils 
away, keep adding more. 

Chocolate Pudding. — 1 qt. milk, 3 table-spoonfuls sugar> 
4 table-spoonfuls corn starch, 2| table-spoonfuls chocolate; 
scald the milk over hot water; dissolve the corn starch in a 
little scalded milk, and before it thickens add the chocolate 
dissolved in boiling water; stir until sufficiently cooked. 
Use with cream, or sauce of butter and sugar stirred to a 
cream. 

Cottage Pudding. — 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of sweet milk, 
1 pt. of flour, 2 table-spoonfuls of melted butter, 1 tea-spoon- 
ful of soda, 2 tea-spoonfuls of cream tartar, 1 egg. 

Rice and Apple Pudding. — 1 cup rice boiled very soft, 
stir well to keep from burning; 8 large apples, stewed; 
press the pulp through a sieve, mix it thoroughly with the 
rice; add half a tea-spoonful of butter and yolks of two eggs 



444 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADOBNMENTS. 

well beaten; sweeten to taste. Bake, Beat the whites of 
the eggs and put on top. It is nicer almost cold. 

Baked Indian Pudding. — 2 qts. scalded milk with salt, 
1| cups Indian meal (yellow); 1 table-spoonful of ginger, 
letting this stand 20 minutes; 1 cup molasses, 2 eggs (sal- 
eratus, if no eggs), a piece of butter the size of a common 
walnut. Bake 2 hours. Splendid. 

Sago and Apple Pudding. — Boil a cup of sago in 
water with a little cinnamon, a cup of sugar, lemon fla- 
voring; cut apples into thin slices, mix them with the sago; 
after it is well boiled, add a small piece of butter; pour into 
pudding dish and bake half an hour. 

Orange Pudding. — Peel and cut five good oranges into 
thin slices, taking out all seeds; put over them a coffee cup 
of fine white sugar. Let a pint of milk get boiling hot, by 
setting in hot water ; add the yolks of 3 eggs well beaten, 
1 table-spoonful of corn starch made smooth in a little cold 
mUk; stir all the time, and as soon as it thickens pour it over 
the fruit. Beat the whites to a stiff froth, add a table-spoon- 
ful of sugar, and spread it over the top for frosting; set in 
the oven a minute to harden. Can be eaten hot, but is best 
cold. 

Floating Island. — Put a quart of milk to boil, su- 
gar, salt, and flavoring to taste; separate 3 eggs; beat the 
whites to a stiff froth ; drop them in the boiling mUk from 
a table-spoon, letting them remain half a second; then 
take 2| table-spoonfuls of corn starch ; put it into the boil- 
ing milk, let it remain 5 minutes, then add the yolks, let 
it boil 2 minutes, and take it off to cool, then place it in 
a glass dish, and drop the whites upon it with a spoonful 
of currant jelly on each. 



PUDDING SAUCES AND PIES. 445 



Subbi'Vta ScH^cco. 



Wine Sauce. — 2 tea-cups of sugar, 1 tea-cup of butter^ 
stir to a cream, beat 2 eggs very light, and stir all together, 
add 1 cup of wine, mix and set on top of tea-kettle of boil- 
ing water. It must not be put on the stove, nor boil. 

Pudding Sauce. — 2 eggs well beaten, 1 cup pulverized 
sugar. When mixed pour over 1 cup boiling milk, and stir 
rapidly. Flavor as you please. 

Hard Sauce for Pudding, Rice, etc. — Take 1 tea-cup 
sugar, one-half tea-cup butter, stir together until light, fla- 
vor with wine or essence of lemon. Smooth the top with a. 
knife, and grate nutmeg over it. 



Fine Puff Pastry. — 1 lb. of flour, a little more for roll- 
ing-pin and board, and half a pound of butter and half a 
pound of lard. Cut the butter and lard through the flour 
(which should be sifted) into small thin shells and mix with 
sufficient ice- water to roll easily. Avoid kneading it, and 
use the hands as little as possible in mixing. 

Plainer Pastry. — 1 cup of butter, 1 cup of lard, a little 
salt, cut through the flour and mix lightly together. Some 
cooks mix the lard through the flour first, and then mix 
with water and roll out. Cut the batter into thin sheets, 
fold over and lay aside, cutting ofl" from the roll what 
is used for the bottom or top crust as wanted. 

Lemon Pie. — The juice and grated rind of 1 lemon, 1 cup 
of water, 1 table-spoonful corn starch, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg. 



446 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

and a piece of butter the size of a small egg ; boil the water, 
wet the corn starch with a little cold water and stir it in; 
when it boils up, pour it on the sugar and butter; after it 
cools add the egg and lemon. Bake with upper and under 
crust. 

Pumpkin Pie. — 1 qt. of strained pumpkins, 2 qts. 
rich milk, 1 tea-spoonful of salt, and 2 of ginger, cooked 
with the pumpkins; 6 well-beaten eggs, and 1^ tea-cups of 
sugar. 

Mince Pie. — 3 cups chopped cooked meat, 6 cups of 
apples chopped fine; make moist with boiled cider and 
sweeten with molasses or dark sugar; spice to your taste 
using cloves, cinnamon, allspice, and a very little black 
pepper; put currents and raisins into the pies when ready 
to bake. 

Another: — 3 lbs. of raisins, stone and chop them a 
little; 3 lbs. of currants, 3 lbs. of sugar, 3 lbs. of suet 
chopped very fine, 2 oz. candied lemon peel, 2 oz. of 
candied orange peel, 6 large apples grated, 1 oz. of cinna- 
mon, 2 nutmegs, the juice and grated rinds of three lemons, 
and one-half pt. of brandy. Excellent. 

Rhubarb Pie. — 1 cup of stewed pie-plant, 1 cup of sugar, 
1 table-spoonful of flour, yolk of 1 egg; flavor with lemon; 
beat all together thoroughly. Do n't use pie-plant too hot 
for fear it will cook the egg. Bake with just an under 
crust, and use the white of an eg-g- for frostinsr. 

Cocoanut Pie. — One-half lb. of grated cocoanut, three- 
quarters of a pound of white sugar, 6 ounces of butter, 5 
eggs (tlie whites only), 2 table-spoonfuls rose-water, 1 tea- 
spoonful nutmeg. Cream the butter and sugar, beat till 
very light, and add the rose-water; then add the cocoanut 



HOW TO MAKE PIES. 447 

with as little and light beating as possible; finally whip in 
the stiffened whites of the eggs with a few skillful strokes 
and bake at once in open shells. Eat cold with powdered 
sugar sifted over them. These are very pretty and delicious 
pies. 

Cream Pie. — Boil nearly 1 pint of new milk; take 2 
small table-spoonfuls of corn starch beaten with a little milk; 
to this add 2 eggs; when the milk has boiled, stir this in 
slowly with 1 scant tea-cup of sugar, one-half cup of butter, 
and 2 tea-spoonfuls of lemon. Cakes: 3 eggs, 1 cup of 
white sugar, 1| cups of flour, 1 tea-spoonful of baking 
powder, mix it in flour; 3 table-spoonfuls of cold water; 
bake in two pie pans in a quick oven; split the cake while 
hot, and spread in the cream. 

Cranberry Tart. — Take cranberries, pick and wash 
them in several waters, and put them into a dish with the 
juice of half a lemon, one-quarter of a pound of moist sugar 
or pounded loaf sugar to 1 qt. of cranberries; cover it with 
puff paste or short crust, and bake it three-quarters of an 
hour. If short crust is used, draw it from the oven 5 
minutes before it is done, and ice it ; return it to the oven, 
and send it to the table cold. 

Custard Pie. — Make a custard of the yolks of 3 eggs 
with milk, season to taste; bake it in an ordinary crust; 
put it in a brick oven, that the crust may not be heavy, 
and as soon as that is heated remove it to a place in an 
oven of a more moderate heat, that the custard may bake 
slowly and not curdle; when done, beat the whites to a 
froth; add sugar and spread over the top, and return to the 
oven to brown slightly ; a small pinch of salt added to a cus- 
tard heightens the flavor ; a little soda in the crust prevents 
it from being heavy. Very nice. 



448 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

Rice Custard. — To half a cup of rice, add 1 qt. of milk 
and a little salt; steam 1 hour, or until quite soft; beat the 
yolks of 4 eggs with 4 table-spoonfuls of white sugar; add 
this just before taking oiF the rice; stir in thoroughly, but 
do not let it boil any more; flavor with vanilla. Beab the 
whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, with sugar ; af ta: putting 
the mixture into the pudding dish in which yea serve it, 
put the whites over it, and let it slightly broAvn in the oven. 

Boiled Custard. — 2 table-spoonfuls of corn starch to 1 
qt. of milk; mix the corn starch with a small quantity of 
the milk and flavor it; beat up 2 eggs. Heat the remainder 
of the milk to near boiling, then add the mixed corn starch, 
the eggs, 4 table-spoonfuls of sugar, a little butter and salt. 
Boil it 2 minutes, stirring briskly. 

Apple Custard. — Take 6 tart apples, pare and quarter 
them, put into a baking dish with 1 cup of water ; cook until 
tender, but not to pieces, then turn them into a pudding 
dish and sprinkle sugar over to cover them; beat 8 eggs 
with sugar, mix with them 3 pts. of milk and a little nut- 
meg; turn it over the apples, and bake 25 minutes. 

Trifle. — Slice sponge cake into thin layers spread with 
jam, soak in brandy or wine; put into a deep dish; make a 
thin custard of 1 qt. milk and 3 eggs; sweeten to taste, 
and pour over the cake. Take one-quarter pound almonds, 
pour boiling water on them so as to remove the peel, cut 
fine, and sprinkle over the custard; take 1 pt. of cream, 
whipped and sweetened, and lay over the custard. 

Cocoanut Drops. — To one grated cocoanut, add half its 



BREAD -MAKING. 449 

weight in sugar and the white of one egg, cut to a stiff 
froth; mix thoroughly and drop on buttered white paper or 
tin sheets. Bake 15 minutes. 

A Nice Dessert Dish. — Fill a quart bowl with alternate 
layers of thinly sliced red apples and sugar, and add half a 
cup of water, cover with a saucer, held in place by a 
weight; bake slowly three hours; let it stand until cold, 
and you will turn out a round mass of clear red slices, im- 
bedded in firm jelly. For an accompaniment to a dessert 
of blanc mange, rennet custard, cold rice pudding, or sim- 
ilar dishes, or even with nice bread and butter, there is 
nothing better. 

Chocolate Caramels. — 1 cup of grated chocolate, 3 cups 
of sugar, 1 cup of molasses, 1 cup of milk, and a small piece 
of butter. Boil for about 20 minutes, stirring all the time; 
pour into a buttered pan, and when nearly cold mark off in 
small squares. 

Charlotte Russe. — Take 1 qt. of thin cream, sweeten and 
flavor, whip the cream until all is a froth; then take haK a 
box of gelatiue, put in as little cold water as possible to soak, 
and set on the stove to melt; let the gelatine cool before 
putting into the cream. Have a dish ready lined with 
cake or lady-fingers, pour the cream into it. and set on ice 
until ready for use. 

In the composition of good bread there are three impor- 
tant requisites, — ^good flour, good yeast, and strength to 
knead it well. Flour should be white and dry, crumbling 
easily again after it is pressed in the hand. 

29 



^50 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

A very good method of ascertaining the quality of yeast 
will be to add a little flour to a very small quantity, setting 
it in a warm place. If in the course of 10 or 15 minutes 
it rises, it will do to use. 

"When you make bread, first set the sponge with warm 
milk or water, keeping it in a warm place until quite light. 
Then mold this sponge by adding flour into one large loaf, 
kneading it well. Set this to rise again, and when suffi- 
ciently light mold it into smaller loaves, let it rise again, 
then bake. Care should be taken not to get the dough too 
stiff with flour; it should be as soft as it can be to knead 
well. To make bread or biscuits a nice color, wet the dough 
over the top with water just before putting into the oven. 
The flour should always be sifted. 

Yeast. — 6 good potatoes grated raw, a little hop tea, 1 
qt. of boiling water, three-fourths cup of brown sugar, one- 
half tea-spoonful of salt; when cold, add yeast to make it 
rise. Keep it covered and in a cool place. 

Another. — Put 2 table-spoonfuls of hops into a muslin 
bag and boil them in 3 qts. of water for a few minutes; 
have ready 1 qt. of hot mashed potatoes, put in 1 cup of 
flour, 1 table-spoonful of sugar, and 1 of salt; pour over the 
mixture the boiling hop water, strain through a colander, 
put 1 pt. or less of fresh baker's yeast, or 2 cakes of yeast, 
in while it is warm, and set it in a warm place to rise. This 
yeast will keep 3 or 4 weeks, if set in a cool place. In mak- 
ing it from time to time, use a bowl of the same to raise the 
fresh with. 

Boston Brown Bread. — To make 1 loaf: Bye meal un- 
sifted, half a pt. ; Indian meal sifted, 1 pt. ; sour milk 1 pt. ; 
molasses half a gill. Add 1 tea-spoonful of salt, 1 tea-spoon- 



BBEAD-MAKING. 451 

f ul of soda dissolved in a little hot water, stir well, put in 
a greased pan, let it rise 1 hour, and steam 4 hours. 

Bread. — Take 4 qts. of sifted flour, 1 tea-cupful of yeast, 
a pinch of salt, and wet with warm milk and water till stiff 
enough to knead. Work it on the board until it requires no 
more flour. If made at night the bread will be' light enough 
to work over and put in pans early in the morning. This 
quantity will make two large loaves. One-third of the 
lump may be taken for rolls, which can be made by work- 
ing in butter the size of an egg, and setting aside to rise 
again; when light the second time make out in oblong 
shapes; cover them with a cloth and let them rise again. 
As soon as they break apart, bake in a quick oven. They 
will not fail to be nice if they are baked as soon as they 
seam. This is the great secret of white, flaky rolls. Two 
or three potatoes will improve the bread. Good housekeep- 
ers always have flour sifted in readiness for use, and never 
use it in any other way. 

Mujffins. — 1 table-spoonful of butter, 2 table-spoonfuls 
sugar, 2 eggs; stir all together; add 1 cup of sweet milk, 
3 tea-spoonfuls of baking powder, flour to make a stiff bat- 
ter. Bake 20 minutes in a quick oven. 

Waffles. — 1 qt. of sweet or sour milk, 4 eggs, two- thirds 
of a cup of butter, one-half a tea-spoonful of salt, 3 tea-spoon- 
fuls of baking powder; flour enough to make a nice batter. 
If you use sour milk leave out the baking powder and use 2 
tea-spoonfuls of soda. Splendid. 

Coj'Th Bread. — One-half pt. of buttermilk, one-half pt. 
of sweet milk, sweeten the sour milk with one-half tea- 
spoonful of soda; beat 2 eggs, whites and yolks together; 
pour the milk into the eggs, then thicken with about 9 table- 



452 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

spoonfuls of sifted corn meal. Put the pan on the stove 
with a piece of lard the size of an egg; when melted, pour 
it in the batter. By stirring this lard it will grease the pan 
to bake in. Add a tea-spoonful of salt, 

Graham Biscuits. — 1 qt. of Graham flour, 3| heaping 
tea-spoonfuls of baking powder, 1 tea-spoonful of salt, and 1 
of butter. Make into soft dough with milk. 

Soda Biscuits. — To each qt. of flour add 1 table-spoon- 
ful of shortening, one-half tea-spoonful of salt, and 8 J heap- 
ing tea-spoonfuls of good baking powder; mix baking 
powder thoroughly through the flour, then add the other 
ingredients. Do not knead, and bake quick. To use 
cream tartar and soda, take the same proportions without 
the baking powder, using instead 2 heaping tea-spoonfuls 
cream tartar and 1 of soda. If good they will bake in five 
minutes. 

Strawberry Shortcake. — Make good biscuit crust, bake 
in two tins of same shape and size, mix berries with plenty 
of sugar, open the shoi'tcake, butter well and place the berries 
in layers, alternated with the crust; have the top layer of 
berries, and over all put chai'lotte russe or whipped cream. 

Orange Shortcake. — Make a nice shortcake, spread in 
layers of sliced oranges with sugar and a little cream. To 
be eaten with sweetened cream. 

Apple Fritters. — 1 tea-cupful of sweet milk, 1 table- 
spoonful of sweet light dough, dissolved in milk, 3 egg's 
beaten separately, 1 tea-spoonful of salt, 1| tea-cupfuls of 
flour, 1 table-spoonful of sugar, the grated peel of a lemon, 
and peeled apples sliced without the core. Drop into hot 
lard with a piece of apple in each one, and sprinkle with 
powdered or spiced sugar. Let them stand after making 
and they will be lighter. Good. 



BBEAD-MAKING. 453 

Buckwheat Gahes. — 1 qt. of buckwheat flour, one-half 
a tea-cupful of corn meal or wheat flour, a little salt, and 
2 table-spoonfuls of syrup. Wet these with cold or warm 
water to a thin batter, and add, lastly, 4 good table-spoon- 
fuls of baking powder. 

Fritters. — 1 pt. sweet milk, 4 eggs, 1 qt. flour and 3 
tea-spoonfuls baking powder sifted together. Serve warm 
with maple syrup. 

Rolls. — To the quantity of light bread dough that you 
would take for twelve persons, add the white of 1 ^gg well 
beaten, 2 table-spoonfuls of white sugar, and 2 table-spoonfuls 
of butter; work these thoroughly together; roll out about 
one-half an inch thick; cut the size desired, and spread one 
with melted butter and lay another upon the top of it. 
Bake delicately, when they have risen. 

French Rolls. — 1 qt. flour, 2 eggs, one-half pt. milk, 1 
table-spoonful of yeast, knead well; let it rise till morning. 
Work in 1 oz. of butter and mold in rolls; bake imme- 
diately. 

Cream Cakes. — 6 eggs, beaten separately, one-half pt. of 
sour cream, 1 pt. of sweet milk, 1 and one-half tea-spoonfuls 
of baking powder, flour enough to make a thin batter; bake 
in cups. 

Mush. — Indian or oatmeal mush is best made in the fol- 
lowing manner: Put fresh water in a kettle over the fire to 
boil, and put in some salt; when the water boils, stir in 
handful by handful corn or oatmeal until thick enough for 
use. In order to have excellent mush, the meal should be 
allowed to cook well, and long as possible while thin, and 
before the final handful is added. When desired to he fried 
for breakfast, turn into an earthen dish and set away to 



454 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

cool. Then cut in slices when you wish to fry; dip each 
piece in beaten eggs and fry on a hot griddle. 

In making cake, it is very desirable that the materials be 
of the finest quality. Sweet, fresh butter, eggs, and good 
flour are the first essentials. The process of putting together 
is also quite an important feature, and where other methods 
are not given in this work by contributors, it would be well 
for the young housekeeper to observe the following direc- 
tions : Never allow the butter to oil, but soften it by putting 
it in a moderately warm place before you commence other 
preparations for your cake ; then put it into an earthen dish 
(tin, if not new, will discolor your cake as you stir it) and add 
your sugar; beat the butter and sugar to a cream, add the 
yolks of the eggs, then the milk, and lastly the beaten whites 
of the eggs and flour. Spices and liquors may be added after 
the yolks of the eggs are put in, and fruit should be put in 
with the flour. 

The oven should be pretty hot for small cakes, and mod- 
erate for larger. To ascertain if a large cake is sufficiently 
baked, pierce it with a broom-straw through the center; if 
done, the straw will come out free from dough ; if not done, 
dough will adhere to the straw. Take it out of the tin 
about fifteen minutes after it is taken from the oven, not 
sooner, and do not turn it over on the top to cool. 

Icing. — The following rules should be observed where 
boUed icing is not used: — 

Put the whites of your eggs in a shallow earthen dish, 



BEGIPES FOB CAKE, 455 

and allow at least a quarter of a lb., or sixteen table-spoon- 
fuls, of the finest white sugar for each egg. Take part of 
the sugar at first and sprickl^ over the eggs; beat them for 
about half an hour, stirring in gradually the rest of the 
sugar, then add the flavor. If you use the juice of a lemon, 
allow more sugar. Tartaric acid and lemon juice whiten 
icing. It may be shaded a pretty pink with strawberry 
syrup, or colored yellow by putting the juice and rind of a 
lemon in a thick muslin bag and squeezing it hard into the 
egg and sugar. 

If the cake is well dredged with flour after baking, and 
then carefully wiped before the icing is put on, it will not 
run, and can be spread more smoothly. Put frosting on the 
cake in lai-ge spoonfuls, commencing at the center, then 
spread it over the cake with a large knife, dipping it occa- 
sionally in cold water. Dry the frosting on the cake in a 
cool dry place. 

Boiled Icing. — 1 pt. granulated sugar, moisten thor- 
oughly with water sufficient to dissolve it when heated, and 
let it boil until it threads from the spoon, stirring often; 
while the sugar is boiling, beat the whites of 2 eggs tiU they 
are firm, then when thoroughly beaten, turn them into a 
deep dish, and when the sugar is boiled, turn it over the 
whites, beating all together rapidly until of the right con- 
sistency to spread over the cake. Flavor with lemon, if pre- 
ferred. This is sufficient for two loaves. 

Chocolate Cake. — 1 cup of butter, 1 cup of milk, 3 cups 
of sugar, 4 cups of flour, 6 eggs, 1 tea-spoonful of soda, 2 
tea-spoonfuls of cream of tartar; bake in layers like jelly 
cake. Icing for cake, to place between: 1 cup of sugar, 1 
cake of chocolate, and the whites of 2 eggs whipped together. 



456 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

Cocoanut Cake. — 1 cup of butter, 8 of sugar, 1 of milk, 
4 of flour, 1 tea-spoonful of soda, 2 of cream of tartar, 5 
eggs; bake in layers like jelly cake. Icing to place be- 
tween the layers : Half a lb. of white sugar to the whites of 
2 eggs, whip the eggs, add the grated cocoanut, and place 
between the layers. 

Wedding Cake. — 5 lbs. of seeded raisins, 2 lbs of cur- 
rants, 1 lb. of citron, 12 eggs, 1 lb. of butter, 1 lb. of sugar 
(brown), 1 cofiee-cup of molasses, a little brandy, 1 tea-cup 
of spices. 

Cheap Good Cake. — 1 cup of sugar, one-fourth cup of 
butter, three-fourths cup of cold water. If cups of flour, 
whites of 2 eggs, 1 tea-spoonful of lemon, baking powder 
used. 

Gold Cake. — One-half cup of butter, 2 cups of sugar, 
one-half cup of milk, 3 of flour, 3 tea-spoonfuls of baking 
powder, and yolks of 4 eggs. 

For the silver cake use the same recipe, only in place of 
the yolks of eggs use the whites of 4 eggs. 

For marble cake, same recipe, using 1 cup of brown 
sugar, 1 cup of molasses, and some spices, and drop it in the 
dish on the white cake or silver recipe. 

Jelly Cake. — 3 eggs, 1 small tea-cupful of sugar, 1 cup 
of flour, whites and yolks of the eggs beaten together; flavor, 
and bake in 2 layers, in a quick oven. 

Fruit Cake. — 2 lbs. of stoned raisins, 2 lbs. of currants, 
1 lb. of butter, 1 lb. of sugar, 1| lbs. of flour, 10 eggs, 1 
wine-glass of brandy, 1 wine-glass of wine, 1 table-spoonful 
of cloves, 1 table-spoonful of allspice, 2 table-spoonfuls of 
cinnamon, 1 nutmeg, 1 tea-spoonful of sweet almond meats 
blanched and cut in slices, 2 oz. of candied lemon, 2 oz. of 



RECIPES FOB CAKE. 457 

citron; a little molasses improves it, nearly a tea-cupful; 
flour the fruit, using that weighed out for the cake ; put a 
half tea-spoonful of soda or 1 tea-spoonful of baking-powder 
with it on the fruit ; bake 3 hours, slowly. 

Frosting f 07' Cake. — 1 cup frosting sugar, 2 table-spoon 
f uls of water, boiled together ; take it off the stove and stir 
in the M'^hite of 1 egg beaten to a stiff froth ; stir all together 
well; then frost your cake with it, and you will never want 
a nicer frosting than this. 

Cream Filled Cakes. — These delicious cakes are very 
easily made if »care is taken to have the water boiling. 
Measure out one-half pt. and put in a small kettle; immedi- 
ately after it comes to a boil again put in two-thirds of a 
cup of butter and 1 and one-half cups of fiour ; stir briskly 
for a moment, leaving it over the fire ; remove this mixture 
and place in a dish where it will get entirely cold ; beat 5 
large fresh eggs very thoroughly, then stir in your cold 
mixture a spoonful at a time; stir it aU until smooth and 
free from lumps ; drop them upon a greased dripping-pan in 
small pear-shaped cakes; bake half an hour in a real hot 
oven; don't be afraid they will burn unless you see them 
doing so. When done they will be hollow inside, of a bright 
brown color; if not well done they will flatten. The oven 
must be hot when you put them in, and if kept so success is 
sure. 

Filling or Cream : Put a little more than 1 pt, of milk 
in a pail and set it in boiling water; beat 2 eggs, two-thirds 
cup of corn starch, one full cup sugar, one-half tea-spoonful 
salt, and some vanilla, thoroughly together; add a fuU half 
cup of milk, and stir all into yoar boiling milk; it should be 
very thick; cut open 3^our cakes near the bottom and fill 
very full of cream ; be sure the cream is cold. 



458 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

Glittering squares of colored ice, 
Sweetened with syrups, tinctured with spice ; 
Creams, and cordials, and sugared dates ; 
Syrian apples, Othmanee quinces, 
Limes and citrons and apricots. 
And wines that are known to Eastern princes. 
****** 

And all that the curious palate could wish, 

Pass in and out of the cedarn doors. — T. B. Aldrich. 

Directions for Freezing. — Use 1 part of coarse table 
salt to 2 parts of ice broken into pieces about the 
size of a walnut. This should be firmly packed around 
the cream pail to the height of the freezer. For 3 pints of 
cream, 1| pints of water should be poured over the ice in 
the freezer, and for every additional quart of cream 1 pint 
of water should be added to the ice after packing. When 
there is no ice-cream freezer convenient, ices may be frozen 
by putting the cream to be frozen in a tin pail with a close 
cover. The ice and salt for packing may be put into a larger 
pail and packed firmly around the pail of cream to be frozen. 
Let this stand to chill for 20 or 30 minutes, then remove the 
cover and stir the freezing mixture within until stiff. Then 
repack, cover the whole closely with a woolen cloth or car- 
pet and leave for an hour or two in a cool place. 

Currant Ice. — 1 pt. of currant juice, 1 lb. of sugar, and 
1 pt. of water ; put into freezer, and when partly frozen add 
the whites of 3 eggs well beaten. 

Orange and Lemon Ices. — The rind of 3 oranges grated 
and steeped a few moments in a little more than a pint 
of water ; strain one pint of this on a pound of sugar and 



PBESEBVING AND CANNING FRUITS. 459 

then add 1 pint of orange or lemon juice; pour into the 
freezer, and when half frozen add the whites of four eggs 
beaten to a stiff froth. 

Strawberry Ice-Cream. — Mash with a potato pounder in 
an earthen bowl, 1 qt. of strawberries with 1 lb. of sugar, 
rub it through the colander and add 1 qt. of sweet cream 
and freeze. Very ripe peaches or coddled apples may be 
used instead of strawberries. 

Ice-Cream. — 1 pt. milk, yolks of 2 eggs, 6 oz. sugar, 1 
table-spoonful corn starch; scald until it thickens; when 
cool, add 1 pt. whipped cream and the whites of 2 eggs 
beaten stiff. Sweeten to taste, flavor and freeze. 



" Fruit of all kinds, in coat 
Rough, or smooth rind, or bearded husk, or shell, 
She gathers tribute large, and on the board 
Heaps with unsparing hand." — Paradise Lost. 

Bring me berries, or such cooling fruit 

As the kind, hospitable woods provide. — Cowper. 

Fruits for preserving should be carefully selected, remov- 
ing all that are imperfect. They are in the best condition 
when not fully ripe, and as soon as possible after they are 
picked. Small fruits should not be allowed to stand over 
night after they are picked when they are to be preserved. 
Use only the finest sugar for preserving. When fruit is 
sealed in glass cans, wrap paper of two or three thicknesses 
around the cans. The chemical action of light will affect 
the quality of the preserves when perfectly air-tight. With 
this precaution, glass cans are preferable to any other for 



460 OUB HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

preserving fruit. One-half a pound of sugar to a pound of 
fruit, is a good rule for canned fruit, although many house- 
keepers use but one-quarter of a pound of sugar to a pound 
of fruit. 

An excellent rule for canning the larger fruits, as peaches, 
pears, etc., is to place them in a steamer over a kettle of boil- 
ing water, first laying a cloth in the bottom of the steamer. 
Fill this with the fruit and cover tightly. Let them steam 
for 15 minutes, or until they can be easily pierced with 
a fork, (some fruits will require a longer time). Make a 
syrup of sugar of the right consistency. As the fruit is 
steamed, drop each for a moment into the syrup, place 
in the cans, having each one-half full of fruit, and fill 
up with the hot syrup, then cover and seal. 

Preserved Peaches. — Select Peaches of fine quality and 
:firm. If too ripe they are not likely to keep perfectly. 
Pare and place them in a steamer over boiling water 
and cover tightly; an earthen plate placed in the steamer 
under the fruit wUl preserve the juices which afterward 
may be strained and added to the syrup. Let them steam 
for 15 minutes or until they can be easily pierced with 
a fork; make a syrup of the first quality of sugar, and as 
the fruit is steamed, drop each peach into the syrup for a few 
seconds, then take out and place in the cans ; when the cans 
are full, pour the hot syrup over the fruit, and seal immedi- 
ately. Inexperienced house-wives will do well to remember 
that the syrup should be well skimmed before being poured 
over the fruit. We prefer the proportions of half a pound of 
sugar to a pound of fruit for canning, although many exrcel- 
lent house-keepers use less. This rule is excellent for all the 
large fj:uits — as pears, quinces, apples, etc. 



PRESERVING AND CANNING FRUITS. 461 

Preserved Pears. — To 6 lbs. of pears, 4 lbs. of sugar, 2 
coffee cups of water, add the juice of 2 lemons, and the rind of 
1, a handful of whole ginger ; boil all together for 20 minutes, 
then put in your pears and boil till soft, say about a quarter 
of an hour. Take them out and boil your syrup a little 
longer. Then put back your fruit and give it a boil; bottle 
while hot, adding a little cochineal to give it a nice color. 

Preserved Apples. — Weigh equal quantities of good 
brown sugar and apples; peel, core, and cut the apples into- 
small square pieces ; make a syrup of 1 pt. of water to 3 lbs. 
of sugar, boil until pretty thick, then add the apples, the 
grated peel of a lemon or two, a little whole white ginger 
(if liked) ; boil until the apples are clear and begin to fall. 

Preserved Cherries. — Stone the fruit, weigh it, and for 
every pound take three-fourths pound sugar. First dissolve 
the sugar in water in the proportion of 1 pt. of water to 1^ 
lbs. of sugar; then add the fruit and let it boil as fast as 
possible for half an hour, till it begins to jelly. As soon as 
it thickens put into pots, cover with brandied paper, next the 
fruit, and then cover closely from the air. 

Canned Cherries. — Prepare in the same manner, allow- 
ing but half a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit ; after 
putting the fruit into the syrup let it scald (not boil hard) 
for 10 or 15 minutes, and then can and seal. A few 
of the cherry stones tied in a muslin bag and put into the 
syrup to scald with the fruit, impart a fine flavor ; they should 
not be put into the jars with the fruit. This method is excel- 
lent for use with all the small fruits, as strawberries, rasp- 
berries, and also plums. 

Canned Strawberries. — After the berries are pulled, let 
as many as can be put carefully into the preserving kettle at* 



462 OUB HOMES AND TREIB ADORNMENTS. 

once, be placed on a platter. To each pound of fruit add 
three-fourths of a pound of sugar; let them stand 2 or 3 
hours, till the juice is drawn from them ; pour it into the ket- 
tle and let it come to a boil, removing the scum which 
rises; then put in the berries very carefully. As soon as 
they come to a boU, put them into warm jars, and seal whi].e 
boiling hot. 

Quince Preserves. — Pare, core, and quarter your fruit, 
then weigh it and allow an equal quantity of white sugar. 
Take the peelings and cores and put into a preserving kettle; 
cover them with water and boil for half an hour ; then strain 
through a hair sieve and put the juice back into the kettle 
and boil the quinces in it a little at a time until they are 
tender; lift out as they are done with a drainer and lay on 
a dish ; if the liquid seems scarce, add more water. When 
all are done throw in the sugar and allow it to boil 10 min- 
utes before putting in the quinces; let them boil untU they 
change color, say 1| hours, on a slow fire; while they are 
boiling, occasionally slip a silver spoon under them to see 
that they do not burn, but on no account stir them. Have 
two fresh lemons cut in thin slices, and when the fruit is 
being put in jars, lay a slice or two in each. 

Canned Toinatoes. — Wash your tomatoes, and cut out 
any places that are green or imperfect; then cut them up 
and put over to cook with a little salt ; boil them till per- 
fectly soft, then strain through a colander; turn them 
back to cook, and when they have come to boiling heat, 
pour them into stone jugs (one or two gallon jugs, as you 
prefer). They will keep a day or two in winter if all are 
not used at a time ; put tlie cork in, and have some canning 
cement hot and pour over the cork. The jug must, of course, 
be hot when the tomatoes are poured in. 



PBESERVING AND CANNING FBUITS. 463 

Artificial Honey. — Mix together 10 lbs. white sugar, 
2 lbs. clear bees' honey, 1 qt. hot water, half an ounce of 
cream tartar ; when cool, flavor with 2 or 3 drops otto of roses 
and sprinkle in a handful of clear yellow honey-comb broken < 
up. This will deceive the best judges, and is perfectly 
healthful. 

Grape Jam. — Take your grapes, separate the skin from 
the pulp, keeping them in separate dishes, put the pulps into 
your preserving kettle with a tea-cup of water ; when thor- 
oughly heated run them thorough a colander to separate the 
seeds; then put your skins with them and weigh; to each 
pound of fruit, put three-fourth of a pound of sugar; add 
merely water enough to keep from burning^ cook slowly 
three-fourths of an hour. This is a delicious jam, and worth 
the trouble. 

Blackberry Jam. — To each pound of fruit add three- 
fourths of a pound of sugar; mash each separately; then 
put together and boil from one-half to three-fourths of an 
hour. 

Raspberry Jam. — To 5 or 6 pounds of fine red raspber- 
ries (not too ripe) add an equal quantity of the finest 
quality of white sugar. Mash the whole well in a preserv- 
ing kettle; add about 1 qt. of currant juice (a little less will 
do), and boil gently until it jellies upon a cold plate; then 
put into small jars; cover with brandied paper; and tie a 
thick white paper over them. Keep in a dark, dry, and 
cool place. 

Orange Marmalade. — Take 7 oranges and 5 lemons; boil 
in water 2 or 3 hours ; throw away the water, and open the 
oranges and lemons, taking out the seeds and preserving all 
the pulp and juice possible; cut the rinds in small strips or 



464 OUR HOMES AND THEIR ADORNMENTS. 

chop them, but cutting in strips is better ; weigh it all when 
this is done; then put 3 lbs. of sugar in 2 of the pulp, and 
boil slowly till clear. 

Siberian Grab Jelly. — Boil a peck of crab-apples for 2 
hours in as much water as will cover them, then put them 
into a jelly bag and allow to drain, (do not squeeze them); 
to each pint of syrup, put 1 lb. of loaf sugar, and boil for 
half an hour. Select the reddest crabs you can find, and 
the jelly will be a beautiful color. 

Chocolate Caramels. — 2 cups of brown sugar, 1 cup 
molasses, 1 cup chocolate grated fine, 1 cup boiled milk, 1 
table-spoonful flour, butter the size of a large English walnut; 
let it boil slowly and pour on flat tins to cool; mark off 
while warm. 

The bubbling and loud hissing um, 
Throws up a steaming column ; and the cups 
That cheer, but not inebriate, wait on each ; 
So let us welcome peaceful evening in. 

— Cowper. 

Tea. — When the water in the tea-kettle begins to boil,. 
have ready a tin tea-steeper; pour into the tea-steeper just 
a very little of the boiling water, and then put in tea, al- 
lowing one tea-spoonful of tea to each person. Pour over 
this boiling water until the steeper is a little more than half 
full; cover tightly and let it stand where it will keep hot, 
but not to boil. Let the tea infuse for 10 or 15 minutes, 
and then pour into the tea urn, adding more boiling water, 
in the proportion of one cup of water for every tea-spoonful 



BEVERAGES. 465 

of dry tea which has been infused. Have boiling water 
in a water-pot, and weaken each cup of tea as desired. 
Do not use water that has boiled long. Spring water is 
best for tea, and filtered water next best. 

Tea a la Russe. — Pare and slice fresh, juicy lemons; lay 
a piece in the bottom of each cup, sprinkle with white sugar, 
and pour hot, strong tea over. Or the lemon may be sent 
around in slices with the peel on. No cream is used. 

Roasting Coffee. — This process should be carefully 
watched and superintended. The quality and flavor of the 
coffee depends largely upon the method of roasting. When 
the berry crackles and becomes crisp, it is sufficiently 
roasted. Just as soon as it is taken from the roaster, it 
should be placed in several thicknesses of flannel to preserve 
the oil and aroma. When cool, place it in an air-tight 
cannister. 

Cream Nectar. — 2| lbs. of white sugar, one-eighth lb. 
of tartaric acid, both dissolved in 1 qt. of hot water ; when 
cold, add the beaten whites of 3 eggs, stirring well; bottle 
for use. Put 2 large spoonfuls of this syrup in a glass of 
cold water, and stir in it one-fourth of a spoonful of bicar- 
bonate of soda. Any flavor can be put in the syrup. An 
excellent drink for summer. 

Raspberry Acid. — Dissolve 5 oz. of tartaric acid in 2 
qts. of water; pour it upon 12 lbs. of red raspberries in a 
large bowl; let it stand 24 hours; strain it without pressing; 
to 1 pt. of this hquor add 1-| lbs. of white sugar; stir until 
dissolved. Bottle, but do not cook for several days, when it 
is ready for use. Two or three table-spoonfuls in a glass of 
ice water wUl make a delicious beverage. 

Raspberry Vinegar. — To 4 qts. red raspberries, put 

30 



■4!Q6 OUB HOMES AND THEIB ADOBNMENTS. 

enough vinegar to cover, and let them stand 24 hours ; scald 
and strain; add 1 lb. of sugar to 1 pt. of juice; boil it 20 
minutes, and bottle; it is then ready to use and will keep 
for years. To one glass of 'water add a great spoonful. It 
is much relished by the sick. Yery nice. 

Blackberry Syrup. — To 1 pt. of juice, put 1 lb. of white 
sugar, one-half oz. of powdered cinnamon, one-fourth oz. 
mace, and 2 tea-spoonfuls cloves; boil all together for 15 
minutes, then strain the syrup, and add to each pint a glass 
of French brandy. 

Red Currant Wine. — For every gallon of water take 1 
gallon of currants off the stalks, bruise well and let them 
stand over night. Next morning mash them well with your 
hands and strain through a hair sieve. To every gallon of 
the liquor add 4 lbs. of sugar. Rinse the cask well with 
brandy, and strain the liquor again when putting in, by 
which you will see whether the sugar is dissolved. Lay the 
bung lightly on, and stop it up in 10 days. 




46, 




7m 



<3-^^0-H©^^)^^-& 



*-%^m^< Mills oi \Km. ttl*^ 



<3-^^(<©.-®^^)^^-& 



Oatmeal. Buttered Toast. Beefsteak. 

Potatoes. Hominy. 

Stewed Apples. Buckwheat Cakes. Sirup. 

Coffee, Chocolate. 



Bmbmfmt Prntf. 

Fruits in Season. Broiled Fish. Potatoes. 

Home Rolls. Beefsteak. 

Egg Omelet. Graham Gems. Celery and Lettuce. 

Fried Oysters. Cream Nectar. 

Coffee. Ices. 



468 



Soup with Vegetables. Roast Meats. Apple Sauce. 

Potatoes. Turnips. 

Cabbage. Tomatoes. Pudding. 

Pie. Fruits. 

Cheese. Coffee. Ices. 



Haw Oysters. Soup with Vegetables. Boiled White Fish, 

Roast Turkey with Cranberry Sauce. 

Mashed Irish Potatoes. Baked Sweet Potatoes. 
Croquettes of Rice. 



Cream Custard. Lemon Pie. Cocoanut Pie. 

Fruits, Nuts. Coffee. Ices. 



fBM, 

Tea, Coffee, or Chocolate. Escalloped or Fried Oysters, 

Muffins. Sliced Turkey and Ham. Cold Biscuits. 

Sardines and Sliced Lemons. Thin Slices of Bread Rolled, 

Sliced Pressed Meats. Cake in Variety. 



469 



Cold Roast Turkey or Chicken. Ham Croquettes. 

Fricasseed Oysters. Charlotte Russe. 

Whipped Cream. Chocolate Cake. Cocoanut Cake. 

Mixed Cakes. Fruit in Season. 

Ices. Coffee and Chocolate. 



Cold Roast Fowl. Oyster Patties. Cold Boiled Ham. 

Raw Oysters. Ham Sandwiches. 

Jelly. Ice-Cream. Cakes. 

Assorted Fruits. Chocolate. Coffee. 



Sunday. — Roast Beef, Potatoes, and Greens. Dessert: 
Pudding or Pie, Cheese. 

Monday. — Hashed Beef, Potatoes, and Bread Pudding. 

Tuesday. — Broiled Beef, Vegetables, Apple Pudding. 

Wednesday. — Boiled Pork, Beans, Potatoes, Greens, 
and Pie or Rice Pudding. 

Thursday. — Roast or Broiled Fowl, Cabbage, Potatoes, 
Lemon Pie, Cheese. 

Friday. — Fish, Potato Croquettes, Escalloped Toma- 
toes, Pudding. 

Saturday. — A la mode Beef, Potatoes, Vegetables, Suet 
Pudding, Mince Pie, and Cheese. 



flMAiIlEUl^ J^HOirOGI^APHY. 




'-^(s-^ 



MATEUR PHOTOGRAPHY has for years been 
held in high estimation throughout Great Britian 
as a means of recreation by persons of rank, 
title, men eminent in the legal profession, in 
literature and in science. Although but re- 
cently introduced in this country in a popular 
form, so that outfits are sold at prices ranging 
down to 110.00, it is destined to maintain a high 
place among art studies and divertisements. 
Eecent improvement in photography have made 
possible the production of the highest class 
pictures through the medium of an equipment which any 
one should be able to manipulate, and yet so light in 
weight as not to be burdensome. The apparatus is graceful 
in appearance and many of the fair sex have become expert 
in Its use. 

Amateur Photography may venture a claim for con- 
sideration, as the practice of it is educating, refining, and 
health-giving. It is a sure cure for mental weariness, and 
no one who has an artistic appreciation of the beautiful can 
fiail to be interested in the art. 

470 



AMAIEVB PHOTOGRAPHY. 



471 



Wide-awake correspondents and autliors now enclose 
with their manuscript and send to the publishers photo- 
graphic prints or negatives 
from which engravings or litho- 
graphs are made for the illustra- 
tion of their articles or stories. 
The artist, with a camera look- 
ing like a hand satchel, photo- 
graphs without exciting the 
suspicion of the unconscious 
subject, the beautiful, quaint, 
or repulsive features which 
in due time, will be copied 
on canvas. 

The gems of scenery to 

be found in our own or 

foreign lands make an 

adornment for the home 

prized for the reminiscences 

which are associated with 

each one. These pictures 

can be handsomely framed or 

gathered in portfolios and 

albums. 

For instantaneous photo- 
graphy one needs but to sub- 
stitute a quick working lens 
with a drop or shutter for the 
one in ordinary use, and to provide himself with extra 
sensitive plates and the impressions of rapidly moving ob- 
jects are fixed on the sensitive film of the plates, as though 
the fieeting panorama had been instantly held in check. 
There are easy methods for copying manuscript, engravings 
and for enlarging small pictures. 




472 OUE SOMES AND TREIB ABOENMENW. 

Ladies also use the camera nowadays, and they take great 
delight in them, too. Light outfits are made specially for 
their use. It was not an infrequent sight last summer at 
the watering-places and sea-side to see a young beauty trip- 
ping off from the hotel with a dainty little camera in one 
hand and the folded tripod in the other. The latter she 
knows she can make use of in case of snakes, and therefore 
feels secure. In her close-fitting dress, made for the purpose 
and with cheeks glowing with healthy enthusiasm, you can't 
help hoping that she will manage to photograph herself be- 
fore she gets back. They take beautiful pictures, too, and 
in many photographic galleries are to be found specimens of 
amateur work that has been done by ladies. Sometimes they 
put the accomplishment to good use, and sell their pictures, 
which generally find ready purchasers. 

The interest in amateur photography has been caused, in 
a great measure, by the improvements made in the appara- 
tus. These began with the introduction of dry plates. 
These are the sensitive gelatino-bromide dry plates, and they 
can be carried about with little trouble. Formerly, when 
the wet plates were in use, it was necessary for an amateur 
to carry around with him a chemical laboratory and an 
extemporized dark-room. Solutions had to be ready before- 
hand. In working the plates the photographer generally 
got all covered with chemicals, and it was not pleasant. 
"With dry plates it is not necessary to bother with chemicals 
while on the field. All that is necessary is to keep the 
plates, after the exposure, from the light. They can be 
packed away in cases to be developed in the dark-room at 
home. If the amatuer wishes to make his picture at the 
time, a dark closet or room can be rigged up in the hotel 
where he is staying. Only two solutions are necessary, and 
they can be carried in small bottles. Many artists develop 



AMATEUR PEOTOGBAPEY. 473 

their plates when they get back at night from a day's photo- 
graphing tramp. Others save their plates and take them 
to a professional in the city to be developed. The greatest 
fun of all is to take instantaneous pictures " Shooting photo- 
graphs " is getting to be common. One literally and truly 
" gets the drop " on persons with the instantaneous appara- 
tus. There are many ways to rig up a camera for it, but all 
it essentially consists of is a shutter for covering the lens, a 
peculiar plate, and a perfected lens. It is most exciting 
work at first, and invariably the amateur drops the slide too 
soon. "The first time I tried it," says one young artist, 
** was to catch a boy who was jumping off a chimney. He 
jumped and I let go the drop. When the plate was deve- 
loped, the boy hadn't left the chimney." 

Amateur photography does not, probably, encroach to 
any extent on the business of regular photographers, but it 
affords amusement to thousands of persons and enables them 
to preserve bits of scenery, character-groups, etc., which 
they could not otherwise secure. However, in parts of the 
country where photograph galleries are distant, it has been 
found quite profitable employment to the amateur who 
would turn his knowledge to practical ends. 

One young lady secured an outfit as a means of recreation 
and became an adept. Being annoyed by the repeated 
requests to take photographs, she set a price upon her work 
with a view of securing immunity from such requests; 
instead of this, however, her whole time was soon employed 
in the work at profitable figures. 

Young men armed with camera and dry plates have 
turned a summer's vacation into profit, by traveling through 
the country and photographing familiar animals and houses. 

There is a kind of charm in having one's picture taken 
at home, and generally the results are true to nature. 



474 OUB S0ME8 AND TSEIE ADORNMENTS. 

As to the method of doing the work, that is not the pro- 
vince of this article. 

An outfit, as has been said, costs from ten dollars up- 
ward. Twenty-five will purchase a very good outfit indeed. 

Instructions go with each outfit, and the manufacturers 
are constantly discovering new devices, so instructions here 
are useless. 

An outfit consists of a camera, lens, dry plate-holder, 
tripod, dry i)lates, developing chemicals and albumen paper, 
etc., and weighs from two pounds up. 

Those who wish to secure further particulars as to the 
details of the work and outfits, can address, Scovill Manu- 
facturing Company, 423 Broome Street, New York. 




JL 




TO 



q- 






11F>- 






I OuK .Homes md Theie. AdommentSo 



(Lg. 




[475". 




[476] 



)ttri'x!Tn'*'ull!uS 



PAGE. 

Adornments, Simple 130 

Advantages of Story-and-a-half over 

One-Story House 120 

Amateur Photography 470 

Antique Lace and Insertion 213 

ANTIQUE FURNITURE- 

Cabinets 279 

Hall Benches 280 

Odds and Ends, 279 

Applique Piano Scarf 255 

Applying Paints 68 

Aquariums to Grow Water- Lilies in 325 

Arbor, To Construct 147 

ART OF GIVING DINNERS— 

Entertainment at Table 36 

French and^ussian Customs ... 38 

Manners at the Table 40 

Fish and Soup Etiquette 42 

Table Talk 43 

ART OF LETTER- WRITING— 

The Penmanship 27 

Rules for Letter- Writing , 28 

Form of a Letter 30 

Letter Paper and Envelopes 31 

Autum Leaves, To Preserve 380 



PASK. 

Baby's Knitted Sock 207 

Bamboo Screens 268 

Banner Screens, Designs for 239 

Basket, Imitation Coral 351 

Basket, Scrap New 248 

Basket, Waste Paper 352 

Bath Tub 84 

Bay- Windows 150 

Beautifying Walls and CeiUngs .... 22^ 

Bedstead and Drapery, (illus.) 29T 

Bellows, Ornamental 265 

Best Time to Paint 75 

Beverages 464 

Bills of Fare 467 

Bleaching, Recipes for 371 

Bleaching Powder 372 

Bleaching Ivory 373 

Blackboards, To Make 39j 

Brass Work 230 

Bronze for Metals 387 

Brushes, Various 70 

BtHLDING DESIGNS— 

A Simple Cottage, (5 Cuts.) .... 105 

Alterations in Cottage, (2 Cuts). Ill 



477 



478 



CENERAL INDEX. 



Neat Story-and-a-half House, 

(3 Cuts.) 115 

Story-and-a-half House, (2 Cuts) 121 
Superior Story-and-a-half House 

(2 Cuts) 125 

Rural Cottage Home, (2 Cuts.).. 128 
Modern Gothic Roofed House, 

(ICut.) 130 

Solid Gothic House, (3 Cuts.) ... 133 
Farm Residence and Barn, (2 

Cuts,) 135 

Elegant Brick Residence,(2 Cuts) 138 

Fine Substantial Villa, (1 Cut. ). 142 



CALLING]AND"_CONVERSATION- 

Reception Days 

Visiting Cards 

Conversation 

Themes for Conversation 

General Suggestions 

CARPETS— 

Silk Rag 

Ingrain 

Prayer 

To Wash, 

Carpenter Work 

Carriage Painting 

CELLARS— 

Excavation for 

cements- 
How to Use 

Causes of Failure in Using 

For Ivory 

For Jet 

For Lamps 

For Pots and Pans 

For Wood 

For Leather 

For Marble 

For China 

For Cracks in Wood 

Chinese 



20 
21 
22 
23 
24 

261 
261 
262 
402 

77 



71 

403 
404 
404 
404 
405 
405 
406 
406 
406 
406 
407 
407 I 



PAGE. 

Fire-proof and Water-proof 407 

India Rubber 404 

Jewelers' 408 

London 405 

Stone Masons' 407 

Recipes for 403 

Ceramics- 285 

COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE.— 

Ceremony 50 

Engagements 56 

Presents 60 

Cover for Rocking Chair 249 

Crazy Work, (illus.) 347 

Crestings and Finials ... 81 

CROCHETED PATTERNS— 

Crocheted Pattterns 211 

Antique Lace 212 

Antique Insertion, 214 

Fan Lace 214 

Clover Leaf 215 

Grecian Insertion 215 

Shell Lace 217 

Crystal Ambrotype 345 

CURTAINS— 

Prices of Materials 263 

Scarf and Book Case Curtains,. 264 

Dado, The 224 

Darned Work Table Scarf 257 

DECALCOMANIA OR FRENCH 
DECORATIVE ART— 

Its Uses 347 

Materials 347 

Decorating Screens 269 

Deodorizer, The Best 378 

DESIGNS— 

I, A Simple Cottage with suc- 
cessive enlargements, (5 

illus.) 105 

n. Attractive Cottage Home for 
People with small means, 

(Sillus.) Ill 



GENERAL INDEX, 



479 



PAGE. 

Ill, A Neat Story-and-a-half 
House, at Moderate Cost, 
(3illus.) 115 

rv, Story-and-a-half Honse, (2 

iUus.) 121 

V. Superior Story-and-a-half 

House,'(3 illus.) Ii5 

VI. A Rural Cottage Home, (2 

illus.) , 128 

VII. Modern Gothic Roofed, 
Story-and-a-half House, 
(^ith illus.) 130 

Vni, A Solid Gothic House, (3 

illus.) 133 

IX, Extensive Farm Residence 

and Barn, (2 illus.) 135 

X, Elegant Brick Residence, (2 

illus.) 138 

XI, Fine Suburban ViUa, (with 

illus.) 142 

Disinfectants for Sick Room 377 

Doors and Windows 72 

DRAWN WORK— 

Drawn Work 243 

Patterns for 243 

Drives and Walks 173 

DYEING AND BLEACHING— 

Dyeing Cotton 361 

Dyeing Woolens 364 

Aniline Dyes 367 

Useful Suggestions 369 

Dyeing Feathers 370 

To Bleach Sponge 371 

To Whiten Lace 371 

Bleaching Straw Goods 371 

E60NIZED WOOD— 

Ebonized Wood, How to Make.. 267 

Screens, To make Frames of . . . 267 

Elegant Table, An 352 

EMBROIDERY STITCHES— 

Embroidery with Fish Scales. . 349 



PAGE. 

Stem or Tenth Stitch 233 

Chain Stitch, (with illus.) 233 

Twisted Chain Stitch 233 

Vine Chain Stitch 234 

Blanket Stitch, (with illus.) 234 

Button-hole Stitch, (with illus.) 284 

French Knot,(with illus. ) , 235 

Herring-bone Stitch, (with illus.) 225 

Cross Stitch 235 

Satin Stitch, (with illus.) 236 

Basket Stitch, (with illus.) 236 

Wound Stitch, (with illus .) 236 

Janina Stitch 237 

Outline Stitch, (with illus.) 237 

Feather Stitch, (with illus.) 238 

Kensington Stitch, (with illus.). 238 

EBIBROIDERED DESIGNS— 

For a Border 241 

For a Corner 241 

For a Sofa Pillow. . . ., 284 

For Fish Scale Embroidery 350 

ETIQUETTE OF— 

Introductions ... 11 

Calling and Conversation 19 

The Table 43 

PubHc Places 45 

Church 48 

Picnics 50 

Traveling 52 

The Home 54 

The Street 58 

Courtship 60 

ENCAUSTIC TILES— 

Their Durability 355 

How to Use Them 356 

Suitable for Pavements, Mantels 

Cabinets, etc., 356 

Their Cost 357 

Etching on Linen 289 

Instructions Upon 290 

Exposure of a House 99 



480 



GENERAL INDEX. 



PAGE. 

Fan Screens 275 

Farm and Carriage Bam Combined 159 

Feathers, To Dry Various Colors. . . 370 

Fire-Proofing Sliingle Roofs 390 

Fire-Proof Paints for Wood 391 

FLOWERS- 

Their Culture 303 

Sowing and Cultivating 304 

Selection of Varieties 304 

TheSoil 305 

Classification of 306 

Hot-bed Culture 308 

List of Bulbs 311 

Climbers 314 

Annuals and Perennials 316 

WindowJGardening 327 

Bulbs— 

Dahlia 313 

Gladiolus 313 

Calla 313 

Tuberose 311 

Cyclamen 312 

Lily 312 

Bleeding Heart 313 

Climbers — 

Clematis 314 

Cyprus- Vine 314 

Gourds 314 

Ipomea 315 

Maurandya 315 

Smilax 315 

Annuals and perennials — 

Asters 316 

Begonia 316 

Camellia 316 

Calceolaria 317 

Carnation — 317 

Candytuft 317 

Chrysanthemum , 318 

Fuchsia ... 318 

Heliotrope 319 



PAGE. 

Mignonette 319 

Oleander 3i9 

Pansy 330 

Geranium 320 

Ferns 321 

Phlox Drummondii 321 

Snapdragon i 321 

Violet 322 

Zinnia 322 

Chinese Primrose 322 

Roses 323 

Petunia 323 

WaterLily 324 

Water LUy, Cultivation of in 

Tubs 324 

Water Lily for Acquarimns 325 

Ice Plant 325 

Balsam 325 

Ageratum 326 

Abutilon 326 

Flower-Pots, Decorating 344 

Fluid, for Washing 374 

FrenchPolish 387 

Friendship Cushion , 279 

FRUITS— 

To Preserve 459i 

ToCan 461 

Furs, to Revive 401 

Furnaces and Grates 91 

Furniture Varnish 385 

GARDEN, THE- 

Best Time for Planting Trees. . . 182 

Kinds of Trees 185 

Formation of Lawns 170 

Grading and Terracing 169 

Glass Mirrors 252 

Gonzagas Silk for Curtains 265 

GRAINING— 

TheToolsfor, 82 

TheGroimd 82^ 



GENERAL INDEX. 



481 



PAGE. 

The Graining Color 83 

Veining or Combing 83 

Ash Graining 84 

Old Oak ... 84 

Birds-Eye Maple 84 

Mahogany 85 

Grading and Terracing 169 

Grates and Furnaces 91 

Grass, to Crystalize . 336 

Ground-Glass Windows, to Imitate, 381 

HAfR- 

To Beautify the 383 

Gloss 382 

Oa 383 

Wash 382 

Lotion , 382; 

Brushes, to Clean 383 

Keceiver 251. 

HallBenches 280 

HANGINGS FOR DOORS, HALLS 
AND WINDOWS— 

HowMade 260 

Old Blue. Blanket 260 

Portiere of Chinese Embroidery 260 

SUkRagCarpet 261 

Ingrain Carpet 261 

The Dove Portiere 262 

Velveteen. 262 

Smyrna Blankets 262 

Curtains 263 

Prices of Materials 263 

Scarf and Book-Case Curtains . . 264 

Hints on Health 377 

HOME- 

Gteneral Considerations 63 

Ideal Homes 64 

Renting and Purchasing 65 

Contracting the Work 67 

HOUSE, THE- 

Alterations and Additions to. . . 149 

Painting , 75 



PAQB. 

Heati n g 92 

Ventilation 94 

HOUSE PAINTING— 

Kinds of Paint 75 

Colors 76 

Mixing Colors 77 

Oils and Dryers 77 

Applying Paints 78 

Priming 78 

Second Coat 79 

Finishing Coat 79 

Brushes 80 

Outside Painting 80 

Inside Painting 81 

Oil and Shellac Finish 81 

ICE HOUSE— 

To Construct 157 

Combined with Preservatory 

(with illustrations.) . 158 

Imitation Barbatin or Lamoges 

Ware 342 

Impure Air, How to Remove it 94 

Inks, How to Make 413 

INTRODUCTIONS— 

Wlien ? Whom ? How ? 15 

Bowing and Shaking Hands. ... 17 

Methods of Salutation 18 

Japanese Quilt 273 

Kitchen, The 83 

Utensils 418 

Kensington Painting 291 

Materials 292 

Directions for the Work 293 

Knitting Silks, 199 

Explanation of Terms used for 

Kiiitting 199 

Antique Lace 200 

Diamond Insertion 201 

Jewel Edge 202 

Smyrna Lace 202 



482 



GENERAL INDEX. 



PAGE. 

I Knitted Wrister 203 

Ladies' Fancy Silk Mitten 204 

Baby'sSock 207 

Lace, to Whiten 371 

LAMBKEQUINS- 

Orange Bud 225 

Cobweb Borders, for 225 

Lambrequins and Curtains 282 

Lamp Shades 354 

Lamoges Ware 342 

LANDSCAPE GARDENING— 

Errors to be Avoided , 163 

How to Begin 164 

Things to be attained 165 

Simplicity and Neatness 165 

Style of GardeninglUsed 166 

The Exposure or Location .... 166 

Grading and Terracing 169 

Formation of Lawns, 170 

A More Permanent Lawn 1 71 

Drives and Walks 173 

Method of Making 178 

Planting Trees 182 

Time for Removing 183 

KindsofTrees 185 

Lathing and Plastering 76 

Leaves, to Skeletonize 380 

Lime- Water 379 

LINCRUSTA-W ALTON— 

Remarks. 358 

Of What Composed 358 

Its Uses 358 

Method of Applying to Walls ... 358 

Illustration 359 

LUSTRA PAINTING— 

Colors and Materials 296 

MACREME LACE— 

Materials 188 

Lace Desk 188 

Description of Stitches 191 

Manuscripts, To Renew 40S 



PAGE. 

Mason Work 71 

Materials in Building a House with 

their Cost. 145 

MEASURING— 

Lumber 73 

Studding 73 

Clapboarding 74 

Plastering 74 

Flooring 74 

Mixing Colors 77 

Mordants Used in Dyeing 370 

NATURAL FLOWERS, TO PRE- 
SERVE- 

Remarks 333 

By the Sand Process a33 

By the Sulphur Process 334 

By the Paraflne Process 334 

NEEDLE WORK— 

Drawn Work 242 

Kindsof Stitches 233 

Outline Work 222 

Plush Embroidery 239 

Ribbon Work 245 

NEEDLE-WORK DESIGNS— 

For a Border 241 

For a Corner 241 

For Crazy Work, 247 

For Drawn Work 244 

For Pretty Work Apron 250 

For Fish Scale Embroidery 350 

For Piano Scarf 256 

For Table Scarf, 257 

For Scarf Table Cover 258 

News Rack, (illus.) 253 

NICKEL PLATING- 

How to Imitate 388 

Odds and Ends of Antiquity 279 

Oils and Dryers 77 

Oil and Shellac Finish 81 

Old Blue Blankets, A Use for 260 

Originality in Furnishing 280 



GENERAL INDEX. 



483 



PAGE. 

OUTLINE WORK— 

FuU Instructions 222 

Starof Beauty 222 

Wood Nymph 225 

Oval Picture Frames 351 

PAINT— 

Economical 390 

To Remove 390 

To Destroy 390 

Fire Proof for Roofs 390 

For Black Boards 391 

Compound Fire Proof for Wood 

Work.... 391 

painting- 
Bow! 344 

Fan 344 

In Oil Colors 339 

In Water Colors 344 

Kensington 2D1 

Lustra 295 

Panel 340 

Photograph 346 

Terraline 236 

Paste, How to Make 229 

Patriotic Screen, A 274 

Pavements of Encaustic Tiles 356 

Piecework, Japanese 2~3 

PLUSH EMBROIDERY— 

Flowers Used in the Work 239 

Snow-Ball Flowers, How to 

Make 240 

Polish for Furnitm-e 380 

Polishing Wood Carvings 396 

Polishing Mother of Pearl 397 

POLITENESS— 

Its Value, Laws and Rewards, 11 

Laws of Etiquette 13 

PORTIERES- 

How to Make Them 260 

Of Chinese Embroidery 200 

Made from Waste Material 20 1 



PAGE. 

Preserving Autumn Leaves 380 

Pretty Idea in Screen Decoration. 270 

Pure Water 98 

Putty, To Make 410 

Quilt, A Japanese 273 

RECIPES FOR— 

Dyeing 361 

Bleaching 371 

Health 377 

Home Decoration 380 

Toilet 382 

Paints 388 

Staining Woods 392 

Clean ing and Scouring 394 

Cleaning Fabrics 398 

Cements 403 

Cooking 417 

Ebonizing Wood 382 

RECIPES. MISCELLANEOUS- 

To Renew Manuscripts 408 

Pretty Idea in Screen Decoration 270 

Tracing Paper 408 

Transfer Paper 40;) 

To Mend Amber 409 

Bronzing Wood 409 

To Remove Screws 410 

To Make Putty 410 

For Sealing Wax 411 

For Cleaning Harness 411 

For Harness Blacking 412 

For Harness Composition 412 

To Destroy Bed Bugs 412 

To Slake Non-Corrosive Inks, . . 413 

For Invisible Ink 413 

For Green Ink 418 

For Blue Ink 413 

To Make Soap-Bubbles 413 

To Prevent Rusting 414 

To Prevent Lead Exploding 414 

To Repair Rubber Hose 414 

To Keep Wagon Tires on 414 



484 



g:b}Tbiral index. 



PAGE. 

The Tempering Secret 415 

Test for Counterfeit Silver 4IG 

Varnish for Common Work 385 

Furniture Varnish , 385 

RECIPES, TOILET— 

Hair, To Beautify the 383 

Hair Gloss 382 

Hair Wash 382 

Hair Lotion 393 

Hair Brushes, To aean 383 

Tooth Powder 3*3 

Tooth Wash 383 

Teeth, To Beautify the 383 

Bloom of Roses... 383 

Bloom of Youth 383 

Violet Powder 384 

Aromatic Vinegar 384 

Camphor Ice 384 

Cold Cream 384 

For Chapped Hands 384 

To take Stains off the Skin. ... 384 

Acacia Sachet 384 

Pot Poun-i Sachet Powder 385 

REPOUSSE WORK— 

Its Popularity 230 

Description of Tools' 230 

Designs 231 

Revolving Ventilator, The 96 

RIBBON WORK— 

How to make it, 845 

TheMaterials 245 

Ribbosene— Something new ... 24C 

Roofs and Gables 152 

RUGS- 

How to make them 352 

Of Silk , 352 

Of Sheepskin 353 

For Carriage 353 

Rust, To prevent 414 

Scarf for Piano 255 

Scarf for Table 263 



PAQB. 

SCREENS.- 

Their Variety ana Uses 266 

How to Make Them (with illus.) 267 

Bamboo 268 

Fire 268 

Use of an Old Clothes-Horse.. 269 
Method of Covering and Deco- 
rating 269 

A Pretty Idea 270 

Appropriate Figures from Na- 
ture 271 

A Stationary Screen 271 

In Embroidery 272 

Patriotic 274 

Lamp 275 

Fan , 275 

Old ,Clothes-Horse 277 

Selecting Healthy Site, 97 

Selecting Flowers 304 

Sewerage, Good System of 98 

Shade Trees 101 

Shellac Finish 81 

Shrubbery 101 

Slck-Room, Disinfectants for 377 

Silk, To Renovate 401 

Silk Mittens, To Knit 204 

Skeletonizing Leaves 380 

Soil for the Flower Garden 305 

Sowing of Flower Seeds 305 

SOLID GOTHIC HOUSE— 

Description of the Plan (with 

illus.) 132 

Cost of Erection 138 

SPLASHER- 

New Style of 252 ' 

SofaPillow Design 284 

Sponges, To Bleach 371 

STAINING WOODS— 

Directions for 892 

Walnut, (2 Recipes) 393 

Black, for immediate use 393 



GENEEAL INDEX. 



485 



PAGE 

Ebony 393 

Cherry.. 393 

Star of Beauty 222 

Statuettes.... „ 300 

Staircases 72 

Steam Heating. 93 

Straw Hats, To Color 370 

Straw Goods, To Bleach 371 

Summer Cottage, How to Build. , . . 143 

Summer House, to Construct .... 146 
Sunlight: a House that [Admits to 

Every Room 125 

Table-Covers, Ornamental 278 

Table-Scarf in Darned Work.., .... 257 

Tables, To Renovate 277 

Tempering Secret of the United 

States Government 415 

TERRALINE PAINTING— 

Colors used 288 

Easyto Paint 288 

The Ware 285 

TOILET RECIPES— 

HairGloss 382 

Hair Oil .. 382 

Hair Wash 382 

Hair Lotion 382 

Hair, To Beautify the. 383 

Hair Brushes, To Clean 383 

Teeth, To Beautify the 383 

Tooth Powder 383 

Tooth Wash 383 

Bloom of Roses 383 

Bloom of Youth 383 

Violet Powder 384 

Aromatic Vinegar 384 

Camphor Ice 384 

Cold Cream 384 

For Chapped Hands 384 

To Take Stains oflE the Skin. . . 384 

Acacia Sachet 384 



PAGS. 

Pot Pom-ri Sachet Powder.... 385 

Toilet Stand, Drapery for 299 

TRANSFERRING DESIGNS— 

For Embroidery S40 

TREE PLANTING— 

Best Time for 182 

Time for Removing 183 

Kinds of Trees — ^ 185 

Tripods , 268 

Use up the Pieces 281 

varnishes- 
How to Varnish Fumiture.i. ... 385 

Table Varnish 386 

Turpentine Varnish T.. 386 

ForFurniture 386 

Common 386 

White , 386 

Furniture Polish 386 

Water-proof 387 

For Boots and Shoes 387 

Golden VarnishI 387 

For Iron Work 388 

Vases 300* 

Velveteen Portiere Coverings 262 

Ventilation 94 

Ventilator, Revolving 96 

WALL PAPERS— 

Instructions How to Hang.". . . . 226 

Sizing the Walls 227 

Quantity in a Roll 227 

How to Cut and Match 228 

ToMakeand Apply the Paste.. 229 

For Walls and CeiUngs 221 

To Select the Best 223 

Hints on Choosing 222 

For Parlor or Drawing-Room. 232 
WALLS AND CEILINGS— 

General Remarks ' 231 

Decoration of 223 

Waste-Paper Basket S48 



486 



GENERAL INDEX. 



Wrister, Knitted 203 

Water-Colors for Screen Decoration 271 

Whiten Lace 371 

WINDOWS,— 

Adding of Bay 150 

Improving of 153 

Ground Glass, To Imitate 381 



PAGE. 

Window Gardening 327 

Wood, Ebonized 267 

Wood, ToBronze 409 

Wood Nymph 225 

Work Apron, Pattern for 250 

Woollens, To Dye all Colors 36T 




